Cops say hidden cameras found in female tenant’s bedroom, bathroom

May 19, 2010 News

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– Ramsaroop says he’s been framed

Police said yesterday that they had unearthed three hidden cameras during Monday’s search of the apartment of a young woman who was a tenant of Alliance For Change Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Ramsaroop.
The raid was conducted as police probe allegations that the party’s CEO may have been filming the woman without her knowledge.
Ramsaroop has vehemently denied the allegations, which he claims are politically motivated to tarnish his image.
A police statement issued yesterday said that one of the ‘covert’ cameras was hidden in a clock on the wall, giving a panoramic view of the apartment.
According to the police another was hidden in a radio in the bathroom and a third was focusing on her bed.
The raids were conducted at Ramsaroop’s Forshaw and New Garden Streets, Queenstown property and at his Land Of Canaan Offices, on Monday.
Police also released statements that were submitted to them by Ramsaroop and his former tenant, 19-year-old Nicole Ming.
In her statement, Ming said that she rented the apartment about two months ago from Ramsaroop.
She alleged that about a week ago, Ramsaroop asked if she would be going out, as technicians had to enter the apartment to check the telephone wires.
She said that she declined to leave her room unlocked as he had requested.
Ramsaroop allegedly said that he would check to see if he found the spare keys to the apartment.
In her statement, Ming said that she was unaware if Ramsaroop had entered her bedroom.
According to the police, on her return, she allegedly observed an instrument on the wall with a light flashing.
“She also stated that about two weeks ago she had replaced a battery in the clock in which one of the cameras was found and the camera was not affixed at that time.
She said that she complained that Mr. Peter Ramsaroop may have been recording her,” the statement said.
“The police became suspicious that Mr. Ramsaroop may be in possession of pornography and may be distributing pornography and consequently obtained warrants to search his apartment as well as his office at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara.
At the time he was overseas and upon his return on May 17, 2010, the police who seized two computer hard drives and a digital video recorder from his apartment executed the warrants in his presence. They also seized two computer hard drives from his office.”
“Mr. Peter Ramsaroop denied the allegations of possession and distribution of pornography and indicated in a written statement that he once used the apartment to house an office for his employees when he installed cameras and did not remove all of the cameras when he rented it to Nicole Ming. He is currently on $20,000 cash bail pending investigations.”
Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, Ramsaroop again insisted that there were several old electrical wires that were installed when he used the Queenstown premises as his office.
There were also motion detectors in the building, but these were not hooked up to any monitoring system.
The AFC Executive said that the electronic equipment was installed when his firm, RoopGroup, was operating from Queenstown. However, he said that an old motion detector was left in the apartment.
According to Ramsaroop, Ming was aware of the existence of the motion detector prior to her moving into the apartment.
“From the time I rented the apartments, I did not install any cameras or motion detectors,” his statement said. “I am not transmitting from my home or anywhere else.” Ramsaroop confirmed that he had asked Ming for access to her apartment to allow technicians to check the phone wires. However, he insisted that he did not enter Ming’s apartment.
Ramsaroop had alleged on Monday that the allegations against him stemmed from recent remarks he had made against a leading political figure.
He said that he recently asked Ming to vacate the premises after learning that she was closely associated with President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Ramsaroop, who is being represented by opposition leader Robert Corbin, said that he is to return to CID headquarters today.
When interviewed by reporters, Ramsaroop said that all cameras on the premises were already there.
He said that he asked the police to trace the wires to see if they led anywhere.
The AFC official said that he intends to file a counter-claim against Ming.
“I intend to file a complaint to the police, accusing her of setting me up.”
AFC co-leader Raphael Trotman has also claimed that party members are being deliberately targeted.
He described the allegations against Ramsaroop as a pattern of harassment, which is “the dark, ugly side of politics in Guyana.”

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