MIND-BOGGLING!

Oct 05, 2016 Editorial

From all appearances and reports, it seems that the disappearance of the self-confessed drug trafficker Barry Dataram is a talking point. The unfortunate result of Dataram’s escape is that the nation is caught in the middle of this situation and is directly affected by its actions. The public is left none the wiser as no one has provided satisfactory answers for his disappearance.

Dataram who has been on the government watch list and the United States radar for years should not have been granted bail without being properly monitored by law enforcement.

Surprisingly, the frustrations and tensions caused by his disappearance have risen between the justice system and law enforcement. It was clearly a case of the cart being placed before the horse or the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing. It was bound to happen because it seems that information is not being properly shared between law enforcement and jurists.

What has transpired in the Dataram case has embarrassed both the justice system and the government. It reinforces the perception that the justice system is inefficient and is in need of urgent reform. It is too archaic for a modern society.

It is unbelievable that no one has taken responsibility for such colossal blunder and it is likely that anyone will be disciplined. While the President has stated that he will not lay blame at the feet of any agency or individual, he ought to know that urgent reforms are needed in the judiciary in order to make it more efficient.

Dataram is a well-known drug trafficker in Guyana and has been a person of interest to law enforcement and the US for years. This should have served as a warning to the court not to grant him bail. Dataram’s flight from Guyana could have been avoided. The Magistrate who granted bail should be disciplined.

In 2008, the United States indicted Dataram on drug trafficking charges and had asked the Guyana Government to extradite him, despite the fact that no extradition treaty had existed between the two countries. However, according to some legal experts, Dataram could have been extradited under the Fugitive Offenders Act of 1988, but legal wrangling in court by his lawyers resulted in an impasse.

The matter was subsequently taken to the High Court where a judge ordered the magistrate who had refused to sign the extradition order to show cause why an arrest warrant for the extradition of the drug fugitive to the US could not be enforced. The matter was heard by the Chief Justice who ruled against the extradition of Dataram to the US on the grounds that there is no guarantee that the US would not extradite him to a third country.

When asked by the press as to why more caution was not taken by the police to prevent the drug fugitive from fleeing the country, the acting Police Commissioner bluntly stated that “the country’s premier law enforcement agency is in no way responsible for the convicted drug lord’s flight from Guyana because we were not the ones who granted bail to him.” He said that it is unfortunate that such a high profile character had been granted bail. This is an indictment on the magistracy by the Commissioner.

Further, for the Magistrate to free Dataram’s three co-accused, including his reputed wife on the joint charge of having 60 kilograms, 840 grams of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking is mind-boggling.

However, in terms of wrong-doing, the arms of the government seem to be setting a trend. This is evident when a former Vice President of GPL, who stole $27 million from GPL flee the country after weeks of the discovery.

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MIND-BOGGLING!

Further, for the Magistrate to free Dataram’s three co-accused, including his reputed wife on the joint charge of having 60 kilograms, 840 grams of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking is mind-boggling.

However, in terms of wrong-doing, the arms of the government seem to be setting a trend. This is evident when a former Vice President of GPL, who stole $27 million from GPL flee the country after weeks of the discovery.

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MIND-BOGGLING!

Further, for the Magistrate to free Dataram’s three co-accused, including his reputed wife on the joint charge of having 60 kilograms, 840 grams of cocaine in their possession for the purpose of trafficking is mind-boggling.

However, in terms of wrong-doing, the arms of the government seem to be setting a trend. This is evident when a former Vice President of GPL, who stole $27 million from GPL flee the country after weeks of the discovery.

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Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]