Detective accused of planting drugs… CCTV footage shows uniformed rank finding item, not CID rank

Aug 11, 2019 News

---

While the Guyana Police Force remains tightlipped on the progress of the investigation into CID Constable Richard Persaud, who is accused of planting drugs in a couple’s yard in Reliance, East Canje, Kaieteur News has since got hold of the CCTV footage that allegedly shows the Detective throwing the item near the guard hut and returning to the spot to pick up.

However, in a surprising twist of events, a review of the footage shows otherwise.
In fact, the footage actually shows the uniformed rank without a name tag who accompanied Persaud, walking near the hut and picking up an item then bringing it to the couple’s attention. Persaud was all the while just standing with his hands on his waist observing and interacting with the couple while the uniformed rank appeared to be showing the woman and her husband what he found.
The new information that was gathered by this publication contradicts what the couple told the media previously and what the police have said as well.
It was reported that Persaud was the police caught on surveillance throwing an item near the hut, then picking it up and informing the couple that it was an illegal substance, the footage proved otherwise.
It was also noticed that at one point Persaud and the uniformed rank ventured to the side of the house where the step is located and spent some time there out of the view of the camera located at the front.

Persaud when questioned about what were they doing at the side of the house, said, “After we entered the yard I go to the side to call for the man because it got a step there that lead to the upstairs and he and his wife came down and we were talking by the step.”.
Prem Pardesi, the owner of the business premises, was asked to show the footage from the side camera but that particular frame appeared to be missing from the footage.
Pardesi alleged that the men may have walked from the side and placed the substance at the hut from behind but there was no footage to prove that.
It should be noted that Persaud was placed on close arrest based on instructions given by the Commander of B Division Paul Langevine, and the Officer in Charge of Crime Mr. Baird. The police claimed that they were in possession of the footage that showed Persaud committing the act.
Questions have now arisen as to why Persaud was placed under close arrest while the uniformed rank (named provided) remains on duty as normal.
A colleague of Persaud questioned, “Why they accuse Persaud and seh that he get catch on surveillance and the footage ain’t got nothing like that? Ya’ll got to dig deeper and expose dem wicked police that trying to frame the boy”.
On Thursday Detective Persaud spoke with the media to share his side of what took place and he stated then that he did not plant any illegal substance on the premises of the couple Maria and Prem Pardesi.
He also stated that he went to the location to uplift documents from Pardesi to redo a matter that they reported in February 2019, Persaud was not stationed at Reliance during that time but was instructed by the Officer-in-charge of Crime in Berbice to redo the matter and have a file prepared to be sent for advice.
In that case, an ex-employee of Pardesi was accused of stealing over $800,000 from his business while he and his wife were overseas. Pardesi had claimed that Persaud hatched a plan with the ex-employee to have the substance planted in his yard so that she could avoid prosecution for her act.
The Detective who has since sent in his resignation to the head of the Tactical Services Unit was adamant that he is being victimized and framed for something he did not do. He stated that he was thrown in the lock-ups at TSU, Georgetown for four days but during his time incarcerated he was not questioned nor was any confrontation held.
He also stated that normally when an investigation is being conducted and it is alleged that there is surveillance to show what took place, the footage is shown to the accused during questioning and the allegation is put forward. “None of that was done; they didn’t even question me,” he disclosed.
Persaud said that after four days of being in the lock-ups he was placed on open arrest (restricted to TSU compound) and he asked the TSU head to go home to see his daughter and pick up some clothes. That request was denied.
He added that on that very day he saw the suspended Crime Chief drive into the TSU compound and make his way up the building. Alves is currently under investigation for a slew of allegations against him by whistleblowing ranks.
Persaud and another Constable were accused by Alves of being the whistleblowers who levelled corruption allegations against him. Persaud has denied to him that he never spoke to the media about anything but Alves had reportedly threatened to have him transferred.
Persaud was transferred, but it was reversed after Kaieteur News and Stabroek News broke the story.
The detective said from that point he has been victimized to the extent that it has forced him to resign from a job that he loves. He has been serving the Guyana Police Force for eight years as a detective and has investigated several high profile cases in Berbice, cases that had many persons prosecuted.

 

Note- The footage could be provided if needed. Those are two snaps from the video showing the point in time when the substance was reportedly found.

---

---