Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Arrest warrant issued for hotel owner
Freeman Fordyce
After a second no show in court, an arrest warrant was issued for Diamond night club owner, Freeman Fordyce, who was charged for the offence of human trafficking.
The arrest warrant was yesterday issued by the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
In February, Freeman was given a four-year suspended sentence for being in possession of an illegal gun. However, last month, he was charged again for human trafficking.
The defendant, 41, of Lot 99 Collingswood Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, is accused of trafficking two Venezuelans for sexual exploitation at his club.
On the previous occasion when the matter was called, Fordyce was not present to answer to the charges; hence, a summons was issued for him to attend court. Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers told the court that Fordyce’s whereabouts is presently unknown.
When the matter was called yesterday by the court orderly, the accused was, for a second time, a no show. Prosecutor Jeffers indicated to the court that the police attempted to serve the summons however, Freeman was not present at his home or place of work to issue it.
He added that Fordyce was released on his own recognizance (self-bail) in relation to the new charges, and was instructed to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), pending his arraignment in court. The court also heard that Fordyce failed to show up at CID and police are now looking for him.
Attorney-at-law Ashley Henry, who represented the defendant, related to the court that Fordyce was informed of his court date but she can’t say why he was not present in court.
According to information, police carried out a raid at the Club Diamond last month. That raid which led to the arrest of 15 women, all said to be foreign nationals. This was after a video circulated on social media, which showed a woman jumping over a locked gate to get into the compound.
The woman was being assisted by four of her friends who were on the other side of the fence. They were holding up the security barbed wire so that the woman could have gained entry.
Hours after the video hit social media, police raided the compound and detained the 15 women, whom investigators suspected to be victims of trafficking in persons (TIP).
The woman, Dailyn Garcia, 25, a Venezuelan, who was seen climbing the fence, was later charged for overstaying her time in Guyana. She was fined $30,000 for the offence or in default six months imprisonment.
Upon paying the fine or spending the time, Garcia will be escorted to the nearest port of exit and deported to her homeland.
Fordyce was handed the suspended sentence recently by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty on the illegal gun and ammo charge, after he was found guilty. The Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions has since appealed the Magistrate’s decision.
Fordyce is also currently on trial for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He was charged after a video footage showed him (Fordyce) resisting being searched and then punching Inspector Prem Narine in the face.
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