Dr. Todd wants public apology from GPF over alleged defamation

May 20, 2025 News

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-threatens legal action if not issued within 24 hours

Kaieteur News- Attorney, Dr. Dexter Todd is demanding a public apology from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), accusing its corporate communications unit of deliberately misrepresenting his statements and tarnishing his reputation.

Through his law firm, Dexter Todd and Associates, a letter was issued on Sunday to Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, calling for an immediate retraction and public apology.

The firm alleges that the GPF has “intentionally misrepresented Dr. Todd’s statements and in some cases peddling pure lies.” It further stated, “They are unjustifiably attacking his character and integrity. This is malicious, negligent, disrespectful, and will not be tolerated.”

According to the letter, Hicken has been given 24 hours from the receipt of the letters on Sunday evening, to retract the GPF’s press release and issue a public apology “in the same manner in which that press release by the Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications Unit was published.”

Failure to comply, the firm warned, will result in legal proceedings against the state for defamation, among other legal declarations and orders.

The dispute stems from a GPF press release issued on Saturday, which responded to a statement Dr Todd made the previous day, concerning the ongoing investigation into the death of Adriana Younge. Dr. Todd, who represents the Younge family, had described a meeting involving himself, the family, and Canadian investigator Leonard McCoshen, in which several investigative concerns were reportedly raised. One of the issued raised was that the lawyer was informed that the father of the deceased, who was present at the hotel from the time the alarm was raised that she was missing, and who removed her body from the pool at the Double Day Hotel, was never interviewed by investigators or a statement was never taken from him.

The dispute stems from a press release issued by the GPF on Saturday, in response to a statement made the previous day by Dr. Dexter Todd regarding the ongoing investigation into the death of Adriana Younge. Dr. Todd, who represents the Younge family, recounted details of a meeting involving himself, the family, and Canadian investigator Leonard McCoshen, during which several concerns about the investigation were raised. Among those concerns was information conveyed to Dr. Todd indicating that Adriana’s father, Subrian Younge who had been present at the Double Day Hotel from the moment she was reported missing and who later retrieved her body from the pool, had never been interviewed by investigators, nor had a formal statement been taken from him.

In its response, the GPF accused Dr. Todd of misleading the public. The police said, “The Guyana Police Force wishes to respond to the misleading statement published by attorney-at-law, Dexter Todd, in a press release alleging that the father of Adrianna Younge was not contacted by the police to give a statement. The Guyana Police Force categorically asserts that this statement is wholly and deliberately untrue, as police records reveal that several requests and attempts were made to accommodate the grieving father to give a statement.”

The GPF detailed attempts to engage Subrian Younge, Adriana’s father, stating he was first approached on April 24, 2025, at the Double Day Hotel by an officer from Regional Police Division #3 and invited to provide a statement that same day, but did not do so. They added that further contact was made on May 1, 8, 9, and 16, including communication with Dr. Todd directly. The GPF said “on this occasion, the officer was told by the attorney that he would get back to him, so no date or time was set when the father would be available to give a statement to the police.”

In its rebuttal, Dexter Todd and Associates declared that the GPF’s version was a misrepresentation. “The press release by the Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications Unit is plagued with untruths, defamatory statements and blatant misrepresentation of Dr. Todd’s press release,” the firm stated.

The firm emphasised that Dr. Todd chooses his words carefully and disseminates “only facts of what was discussed at the meeting with Mr. McCoshen.” They argued, “The Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications saw it fit to take those facts and try to slander the reputation of Dr. Todd.”

The firm highlighted several claims made by the GPF that it says were inaccurately attributed to Dr. Todd’s press release issued on Friday. In that statement, Dr. Todd referenced the reaction of Dr.  McCoshen upon learning that Adriana Younge’s father, Subrian Younge had not been interviewed by investigators or asked to provide a formal statement. The release also noted that, to date, neither of Adriana’s parents had been interviewed by the police.

Dr. Todd’s firm clarified, “while the above paragraph only expresses the shock of Mr. McCoshen and mentions nothing said by Dr. Todd, the first sentence of the press release from the Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications Unit sought to attack Dr. Todd.”

They further argued, “The Guyana Police Force Corporate Communications Unit misrepresented what was said, alleging that Dr. Todd said that the father of Adriana Younge was never contacted by the police to give a statement. That is stated nowhere in Dr. Todd’s press release nor did he make such a statement publicly. However, what is more worrying in the attack on Dr. Todd at paragraph 6 of the press release, bringing into question Dr. Todd’s “integrity and motives for inaccurately reporting to the public the facts in this.”

The letter concluded with a final warning to the police commissioner to treat the letter with urgency, noting that there will be no further warning once the 24-hour period is over.

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