Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
Burke sues Chronicle, NCN over identity theft story
President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) Rickford Burke is seeking a whopping $20M apiece from the state-owned Guyana Chronicle and the National Communications Network (NCN) over stories accusing him of identity theft in the United States.
CGID President Rickford Burke
He has also slapped the PPP website Newguymedia.com with a defamation lawsuit.
Burke is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes who is also demanding that the state-owned entities issue apologies to his client.
The alleged defamatory article was aired on January 30 on NCN and published in yesterday’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle.
“We have been consulted by Mr. Rickford Burke in relation to an article entitled “APNU official Rickford Burke charged for identity theft in New York,” Mr. Hughes said in letters issued to the two entities.
“The direct references to our client coupled with the allegation of a charge of a serious criminal nature are untrue and amount to a very serious libel. All the allegations are untrue. We have to request you to submit to us a draft of a very clear and unqualified apology and retraction for publication in an equally conspicuous position in the next edition of the Guyana Chronicle,” Hughes added in reference to the Chronicle publication.
“Further, having regard to our client’s position as a businessman, a social and political activist, the gravity of the allegation made and your paper’s wide circulation, our client is clearly entitled to substantial damages as well as an apology.
“We are instructed to demand, as we hereby do the sum of $20,000,000.00 (twenty million dollars)
as damages for the aforementioned libel. Failing a response within forty eight hours our instructions are to issue a writ. In the meantime our client reserves all his rights.”
The legal action stems from the publication of what Burke said were false and slanderous allegations that he was arrested in New York for identity theft, when he was in fact the victim of identity theft.
In a statement yesterday, the Institute’s Director of Commutations Jevon Suralie described the articles as “fabricated sleaze” and said the Guyana Chronicle and NCN TV were “utensils of filth and racist PPP propaganda.”
Pointing to false and malicious comments from President Donald Ramotar’s communications officer, Kwame Mc Coy, Suralie accused Guyana’s Office of the President of peddling smear.
“It is also inconceivable that President Donald Ramotar would allow his office to operate as a cesspool for slander.”
Burke stated that he had a recent encounter with NYPD officers which resulted in the issuance of a traffic violation summons for “unlicensed driver.”
“My vehicle was properly registered and licensed. My driver’s license had multiple suspensions due to other person/s driving in my name and accumulating various violations under my name unbeknownst to me, hence the summons,” Burke added.
According to the CGID President, an Internal Affairs investigation had ensued as Burke was exiting his parked car and not driving at the time. The incident led to the discovery that someone or persons have been driving under his name and that he was the victim of identity theft. The perpetrators accumulated multiple unpaid summonses, duplicate DMV records and SCOFFS laws violations and judgments under Burke’s name, resulting in multiple license suspensions. They also opened an HSBC Bank credit card account. Police and DMV officials are investigating.
A copy of the summons has been released.
The Guyana Chronicle, NCN TV and Newguymedia on Wednesday alleged Burke was arrested for identity theft in the purchase of a motor vehicle.
“To lend credibility to this falsity, they hacked into his Facebook page and downloaded and published a photograph of him standing next to a vehicle he previously owned but traded in two years ago,” Suralie said.
Brooklyn Attorney Donnell Suares has written to owner and publisher of Newguymedia, Clinton Dubissette of 3123 Beverly Road Brooklyn, New York, demanding an immediate retraction. Attorney Nigel Hughes has demanded retractions from the Guyana Chronicle and NCN TV.
“Rickford Burke is the victim of identity theft. DMV officials are working to sanitize his driving record. It is inconceivable that the ruling party in Guyana and its supporters in Queens can, out of desperation, turn these facts on their head and fabricate and publish such evil lies with intent to smear and defame. No nefarious acts will deter Mr. Burke or CGID from speaking out against racism and corruption in Guyana,” Suralie contended.
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