Illegal landing of aircraft at Lethem…Judge grants prime suspect $1M bail

Jan 03, 2018 News

After he was remanded to prison two weeks ago for the illegal landing of an aircraft at Lethem, Hutshan Ramsingh, the prime suspect in the case was yesterday granted $1M bail by Justice Brassington Reynolds at the High Court in Georgetown.
Ramsingh, called Seon Singh, 44, a businessman of Tabatinga, Lethem, was ordered to report to the Lethem Police Station every Monday until the completion of the matter.
This was after his Attorney-at-Law, Jerome Khan, made a bail petition before the judge.
Senior Counsel Ian Chang is also a part of the defence.
On December 18, 2017 Ramsingh made his first court appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan who remanded him to prison.
The allegation against Ramsingh alleges that between August 10, 2017 and August 13, 2017 at Mandacoro Island Savannah, Santa Fe, Lethem, he conspired with persons known and unknown to facilitate the illegal landing of an aircraft suspected to be involved in trafficking in narcotics and firearm, at an unauthorised port of entry.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
This matter was transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court for March 5.
According to reports, the illegal aircraft and airstrip was discovered on August 13, last, about 10 miles from Santa Fe.
Kaieteur News understands that the airstrip which was discovered previously was destroyed by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). It is believed that the plane, said to be a Brazilian-registered one, and the airstrip, were being used for illegal activities.
The plane has a similar registration number to an aircraft owned by a bank in neighbouring Brazil.
Last October, Minister of State Joseph Harmon revealed that persons from Brazil claimed that the aircraft was stolen.
The plane was handed over to the army and police had reportedly seized the front end loader.
Ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, confiscated two passports belonging to a Colombian and a Brazilian. These were found on the illegal Beechcraft twin-engine plane.
It is believed that the travel documents belong to two of the people who managed to escape when police and others were closing in. A quantity of dry rations, medical supplies, clothing, footwear, two hand-held radios, flashlights, cellular phones were also found during initial inspection.

Nathan Hamilton and Wazim King

Hutshan Ramsingh

A police source had told Kaieteur News that Ramsingh was taken into custody on September 8, 2017 by ranks from the Major Crimes Investigation Unit.
“He (Ramsingh)) was held for (two) 72-hours after we (police) was granted an extension by the High Court,” the source revealed. However, the source said that the businessman was released on $100,000 bail after police were unable to garner sufficient evidence against him to press charges.
Kaieteur News understands that the businessman was ordered to report daily to the Lethem Police Station.
The police source said that the businessman had been complying but reportedly went into hiding after learning that his employees had been arrested and were going to be charged.
Nathan Hamilton, 21, of Lot 107 Beverley Hills Drive, Lethem, and Wazim King, 37, also of Lethem who are reportedly employees of Ramsingh, were charge last September. They were slapped with a similar charge and were remanded to prison after appearing before Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman.
Ramsingh surrendered to police on December 12, 2017 in the company of his lawyer.
Hamilton and King were allegedly hired and paid to rehabilitate the illegal airstrip.

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