The mother of the 13-year-old girl who was allegedly abducted then released by city businessman, Reeaz Khan, yesterday said that the man has been harassing her and members of her family and she had reported the matter to the police.
Bibi Shameeza Hamid, the teenager's mother, said that shortly after 7 pm on Wednesday, Khan and a woman whom Hamid said she recognised, went to her sister's home where the teenager is staying. She said the woman approached the house and said that she had something for the teen. But Hamid said she chased the woman from the premises.
After the woman returned to the vehicle, Hamid said, Khan approached and made threatening remarks.
Hamid said her son and other family members were verbally abused before Khan eventually left.
Hamid said a report was lodged at the Wales police station and law enforcement officials told her they would investigate.
When contacted yesterday Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superinten-dent John Sauers said the teenager's mother ought to seek assistance from the Quick Reaction Group of the Guyana Police Force if such an incident were to occur again. He provided a telephone number for her to do so and were Hamid to fail in her quest to get assistance from any police group, he added, she ought to approach the Office of Professional Responsibility at police headquarters.
Hamid had complained of inaction on the part of the police during the initial events and in some instances after she had taken legal action against Khan.
Hamid told Stabroek News that her daughter has been receiving daily telephone calls by way of a cellular phone that Khan purportedly gave her during the time she was with him.
However, the mother said she has managed to seize the charger for the cellular phone in the hope that once the battery died, so would the contact.
Justice BS Roy had last Thursday instructed Khan to release the teenager into the joint custody of her mother and maternal aunt and to avoid contacting her after Hamid filed habeas corpus proceedings through her attorney. But, Hamid alleged, Khan abducted her daughter from her sister's home around 1 am the next day.
Hamid said one of the businessman's attorneys had instructed her to go to the Prasad's Hospital and collect her child, but when she arrived there, Khan was there and had refused to let the teenager go.
After several attempts to have the teenager admitted at that and a number of other private medical institutions, she was released into her mother's custody.
Meanwhile, Chief Family Welfare and Probation Officer, Ann Greene told Stabroek News on Tuesday that contrary to an earlier report, the teenager had never been sent to the Women's Institute at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara but to another institution.
Greene, who is attached to the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, said the ministry had offered the teenager a place at the Mahaica Children's Home after the situation had been brought to its attention.
In a telephone interview with Stabroek News, Greene said: "...the child was never sent to the Women's Institute at Cove and John. What we have at the ministry is a Children's Home at Mahaica that offers accommodation for children in especially difficult circumstances and this home was made available to the child."
Greene added: "The matter is engaging the attention of the court so I do not wish to comment too much at this time..."
Khan had allegedly, according to Hamid's affidavit, managed to abduct the teenager from the institution where she had been sent by the ministry. Hamid further claimed that the ministry's action had been taken without her consent.
The legal documents in support of Hamid's action against Khan indicate that she had consented to an offer by Khan to allow the teenager to participate in a 'work-study' exercise at Khan's business establishment during the Easter vacation.
However, according to the documents, on the first day of the 'work-study' exercise, the teenager had failed to return home and when Hamid had contacted Khan, the businessman had allegedly informed her that the teenager was in his charge and further, that he did not intend to let her go.
Hamid had then sought the assistance of the police.
The matter is scheduled to come up again before Justice Roy on June 4.