Khan's bodyguards plead guilty to illegal exit
-fined $20,000 each
Stabroek News
December 2, 2006
Roger Khan's bodyguards yesterday changed their pleas to guilty on the charge of illegal departure before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan and were fined $20,000 each at the George-town Magistrate's court.
Sean Belfield, 27, of 23 Queen Street, Kitty; Paul Rodrigues, 31, of 14 B Shell Road, Kitty and Lloyd Roberts, 25, of 3536 North Ruimveldt pleaded guilty to the charge of illegal departure after it was re-read to them.
It is alleged that between June 15 and 16 at Springlands, Corentyne, Berbice, they departed by sea from a port not authorized for such departures.
Attorney at law Glen Hanoman told the court that Roberts was suffering from chicken pox and it was observed that his face was covered with a white substance. Hanoman stated that the men had gone through an ordeal which started five months ago and that they desire to have it over with. The charge, he said, is rarely brought and that all three of the men were until recently policemen who served their country. Rodrigues, he said, was awarded best cop a few years ago and they all were recently dismissed. He added that they were severely punished by the Surinamese and Guyanese authorities. Their pleas of guilty he said were entered so that they can be reunited with their families and live in peace and harmony. He asked the Magistrate for the normal fine to be imposed. He continued that the men departed that way because they feared for their lives. He concluded by asking the Magistrate to be lenient on them.
Police Prosecutor Lloyd Thomas stated that the penalty for the offence is not less than twenty thousand and no more that forty thousand dollars or an alternative of twelve months in prison. He added that he was leaving it up to the court to decide on the penalty.
The Magistrate after listening to Hanoman and the police prosecutor stated that he would impose the minimum because of the circumstances and the points raised by counsel.
On Tuesday the men had pleaded not guilty to the same charge. On June 15, the three men, Khan and five Surinamese were arrested in a huge drug bust in Paramaribo, which netted 213 kilos of cocaine.
They were initially charged with cocaine trafficking and possession and also with being part of a criminal gang. However, Suriname authorities dropped the charges against Khan and deported him while keeping the three men in prison and extending their jail time on several occasions. The charges against them were eventually dropped and they, too, were deported.