‘I have never been charged with a criminal offence’

Dear Editor, The Stabroek News article headlined: ‘Ministerial advisor faces private criminal charges after property dispute’ which was published on Monday, July 3, 2017 at page 13 refers.

It is evident that the Stabroek News has over time run out of reporters of a certain quality. It is now more than three weeks since the publication of this offensive article and no one from that news outfit has considered it appropriate to contact me so that I may be afforded an opportunity to benefit from the right to reply. In fact a true professional would have taken the time to seek a comment from me prior to publishing such a character damaging article. Sadly, this did not happen.

I state categorically that I have never been charged with any criminal offence in my entire life. I have not ever been served with any summons, complaint or any other legal instrument indicative of any charge of any kind whatsoever being instituted against me.

It is clear that the attorney-at-law named in the said article secured the full cooperation of the Stabroek News to cast aspersions on my good character and damage my unblemished public image.

The attorney’s client(s) and members of the Guyana Police Force have together succeeded in gaining forced entry into my private dwelling and unlawfully removing valuables worth in excess of one million, five hundred thousand dollars. This was on June 13th while I was at work. The Guyana Police Force in spite of being in receipt of an official report from me, a statement of the occurrence and a complaint to the Commissioner of Police has failed, omitted or neglected to bring the known perpetrators to justice or to have my valuables replaced.

Instead, the attorney’s client(s) together with members of the Guyana Police Force proceeded to again unlawfully break and enter my dwelling on June 25th, this time removing important documents from my office. This was while I was at the market. Again, a report was made at the Leonora Police Station, a written statement delivered to the Divisional Commander and a complaint lodged with the Commissioner of Police. Again the Guyana Police Force has failed to investigate and bring the known perpetrators to justice.

The events and the letter written by the attorney-atlaw referred to in the article are carefully calculated to destroy my good character and to lure me into confrontation with persons and the law. This will never happen. I am not so disposed and those who know me know this to be a fact.

The Stabroek News would do well to investigate the conduct of those members of the Guyana Police Force involved and the named attorney-at-law and fearlessly report its findings.

I believe that I am owed a prominently published apology by the Stabroek News and the publication of this statement in full. I also believe that those who gleefully pedalled or ‘shared’ this mischievous article in the various social media outlets should likewise share this statement in the interest of fairness and common decency. Yours faithfully, Mervyn Williams

Editor’s note Stabroek News stands by its story.