Karli Rankin was in the Magistrate’s Court last Monday (15) charged with offences related to the disappearance of 31-year-old Hemerson Gonzalez who was last seen around 5:30pm on 11 December 2012.

Gonzalez, a Guyanese national, was staying with Rankin at her residence in Savannah when he disappeared.

A man, Canute Naime, was also arrested.

Police claim there are inconsistencies in the police witness statements given at the time of Gonzalez’ disappearance by Rankin and Naime. They both face charges of doing an act to pervert or defeat the act of justice and misleading the police.

Naime was arrested at Owen Roberts International Airport when he returned to Grand Cayman and his case has been committed to the Grand Court.

Naime brought his own case to Cayman’s Grand Court arguing that a statutory provision contravenes the protections in the Bill of Rights.

On Wednesday 17^th April 2013 the Court handed down its judgment:

The issue was the length of time that a person can be kept in custody under arrest before being brought before the court.

The judgment states (para. 43) that the initial 72 day period provided for by section 65(3) of the Police Law 2010 complies with obligations under the Bill of Rights (section 5) to “promptly” bring a person before a court who is arrested or detained but not released.

The judgment also finds (para. 44) that the power under section 65(4) that permits a police officer of the rank of Chief Inspector or above to authorise a further 24 hours detention before the person is brought before a court does not comply with the Bill of Rights.

These provisions remain in force pending consideration by the Legislative Assembly as to whether they should be amended.

Gonzalez, when he disappeared, was said by the police to be feeling ill and had been vomiting severely.

Even after searches, including the Air Operation Unit of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, wide media coverage, flyers distributed in public places with Gonzalez’s photograph, there have been no reported sightings. Neither is there any record of Gonzalez having left the Cayman Islands or returning to Guyana.

Mr. Gonzalez is described as being about 5’ 8” in height, with a dark brown complexion and curly black hair which is about 1” – 1.5” in length. He weighs about  180 lbs. and has a tattoo of a compass on his left forearm and writing tattooed on the inside of his left wrist. He speaks with a Guyanese accent.  When last seen he was wearing brown jeans shorts, a t-shirt and blue low cut cloth shoes.