From Caribbean News Now

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — International journalist and author, Dennis Adonis, has launched legal proceedings against Guyana’s commissioner of police, Seelal Persaud, and one of his officers, whose name was given as an Inspector M. Vigilance, citing damage to a $35,000 BMW 320 Series sedan that is owned by Adonis.

According to a writ that was filed on December 30, 2015, in Guyana’s High Court, the author of books including the Pastor’s Wife, and Ten Letters to Obama, accused the Guyana police of causing more $1,500 in damage to the vehicle’s electronic systems.

He is seeking compensation for the damage, and an unspecified sum for loss of use of the vehicle, among other things.

He is also said to be making moves to file private criminal proceedings against Inspector Vigilance for larceny of several documents associated with the BMW sedan, in addition to conspiracy to commit a felony using the same documents.

Adonis who also writes for a number of international news outlets, told the Los Angeles Post Examiner in an exclusive interview that, after satisfying a search at a police roadblock on Sheriff Street in Georgetown on Friday last, he warned the supervising rank that he had caused damage to his vehicle.

He said that the policeman, identified as Inspector M. Vigilance ignored his indications, and further proceeded to pocket the documents for the vehicle.

And in despite of Adonis’ pleas, the policeman failed to return the documents, which were all enforceable at the time.

According to policy and directives by Guyana’s national security ministry, policemen are not to hold on to enforceable documents of a motor vehicle if a search of the vehicle reveals no infractions.

Checks also confirmed that it is against state policy for police to damage an individual’s vehicle or pocket their documents.

Citing his personal distrust of the Guyana police, the damage to his vehicle and the stealing of his documents, Adonis said that he will pursue the matter to its length, even if it means right up to the Caribbean Court of Justice, the highest judicial authority for Guyana.

Furthermore, through the support of a retired British barrister, he is also currently compiling a listing of past incidents of arrest and other malpractices that was conducted by the Guyana police force against him as far back as 2002, with the intention of filing multiple lawsuits against the state for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, and defamation.

Prior to 2009, Adonis was arrested by Guyanese police on at least three different occasions. But in each case, a trial has always vindicated his innocence.

Adonis is now planning to seek leave from the court to file lawsuits against the police as it relates to those past matters.

Guyana is said to have one of the most corrupt police departments in the Caribbean, with surveys showing that Guyanese police are the least trusted by citizens of that country.

Originally published by the LA Post Examiner

IMAGE: Dennis Adonis

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