State granted time to find missing $54M in diamonds

May 08, 2018 News

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-as parties consider settlement

Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln yesterday granted the State until May 22, to locate some $54 million worth of missing diamonds belonging to Ronald Khan which were confiscated by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) from his mining camp at Ewang Creek during 1994 and lodged at the Mahdia Police Station.
The missing diamonds are the subject matter of a civil case filed against the State by Khan who, through his Attorney Nigel Hughes, has requested the return of the wrongfully detained minerals. The uncut diamonds were lodged at the E&F Division of the Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.
Further, Khan is requesting an order directing the defendant who is listed as the Attorney General and/or the Commissioner of Police to return the diamonds to him.
Alternately, in an affidavit dated January 3, 2011, Khan is seeking an order directing the Commissioner of Police to pay him the sum of $54,000,000 being the value of the “uncut diamonds wrongfully detained by the Guyana Police Force.” Khan is also seeking damages in excess of $100,000 for the wrongful detention, interest, costs and such further or other order as the court may seem just.
During yesterday’s court proceedings Attorney Joan-Ann Edghill-Stuart, from the Attorney General’s Chambers said that all efforts are being made to contact the relevant police officers involved so as to ascertain where the diamonds were lodged and with whom.
Referencing a notice in the daily newspapers for nine police officers including former Commissioner of Police Floyd McDonald to make urgent contact with the Attorney General’s chambers, Edghill-Stuart said that only one of the individuals has complied thus far.
According to the notice, these individuals are needed to give a detailed account in the matter Ronald Khan v. the Attorney General for judicial purposes.
The notice said that McDonald, who back in 1994 served as Crime Chief; Harley Davidson, Deputy Crime Chief; Eon Sandy, formerly stationed at the Supreme Court Police Outpost; Alwyn Wilson, stationed at ‘E’ and ‘F’ Division headquarters, Eve Leary; Terrence Semple, last stationed at Mahdia Police Station; Courtney Ramsey, last stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), police Headquarters, Eve Leary; Desmond Leitch, last stationed at CID, Eve Leary; Constable Fraser Reg#10881; and Ex-detective Sergeant Carl Wilson, Reg # 7797 are being asked to make urgent contact with the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers.
Edghill-Stuart pointed to a murder which apparently is connected to the seizure of the diamonds, but told the court that the details surrounding the matter is still unclear and that she is trying to make contact with the relevant authorities in Mahdia for an update on the criminal proceedings.
She had previously told this newspaper that in 1994, two persons were held for a murder reportedly related to the diamonds but subsequently escaped.
“I am not sure what the status of the charges is and whether the persons [who escaped] were ever found. I am not certain the charges were dropped. That’s why the police officers were called upon to make contact with the office because they ought to know what the status of the diamonds is. As it is now, we don’t know where the diamonds are,” Edghill-Stuart stated.
Despite Khan, who is said to be sick, not being present for the court hearing set for reports, it appears as though he is willing to settle the matter once the diamonds are returned, avoiding the need for the court to do a trial.
Through his lawyer Nigel Hughes, who had Attorney-at-Law Kezia Williams appear on his behalf, Khan indicated that he is willing to come to a settlement once his belongings are returned.
In closing, Edghill-Stuart disclosed that discussions will be held with Attorney General Basil Williams S.C. and Khan, on the way forward.
According to the affidavit, this matter dates back to 1994 when Khan’s mining camp was robbed of the aforementioned diamonds worth $54M which were later recovered by ranks of the Guyana Police Force and taken to the Mahdia Police Station.
“At the Mahdia Police Station, the plaintiff (Khan) inspected the said diamonds and verified the quantity and the amount with the officers of the Guyana Police Force. After the diamonds were checked and identified by the plaintiff at the Mahdia Station, officers of the Guyana Police Force thereafter transported the said diamonds to the E and F Division of the Guyana Police Force,” the affidavit outlined.
According to the legal document, sometime after Khan requested the return of his diamonds but was told that they were required as exhibits in the criminal trial of the persons charged with the armed robbery committed on the camp.
But despite the passage of several years, the legal document stated that the police were unable to conclude the prosecution of the alleged defendants, as some have escaped and others subsequently died.
It continued, “By a letter dated the 24th day of November 2010, the plaintiff’s attorney wrote to the Commissioner of Police requesting the return of the said diamonds. The Commissioner of Police acknowledged the said letter but failed to return the plaintiff’s property.”

 

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