Several reasons surface for Deputy Chief Elections Officer’s arrest, detention

Last Updated on Friday, 9 October 2020, 22:03 by Writer

At least three reasons were Wednesday cited by her lawyers and police for the arrest and detention of Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers, after the Guyana Police Force disputed an account by one of her lawyers for locking her up overnight Tuesday.

Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes said he was standing by his position that Ms. Myers was arrested for alleged “obstruction of a police investigation because she exercised her right to silence” and he challenged police to prove him wrong.

“I stand by all the statements I previously made and invite the Guyana Police Force to release the contents of the Station Diary at the CID HQ (Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters ) which records the arrest of Ms Myers at 12.30 for the offence of perverting the course of justice as entry number 3 recorded on the 6th day of October 2020,” he said.

Attorney-at-Law, Ronald Daniels, who also works at Hughes, Fields and Stoby, produced a “substantively verbatim” account of an interview between Assistant Superintendent Mitchell Caesar in which he reportedly told Myers on Tuesday that “the police need those documents to conduct an investigation. You’re holding those documents could cause you to be charged for obstructing an investigation.” Those documents were Statements of Poll for the March 2, 2020 general and regional elections.

The Guyana Police Force, in refuting Mr Hughes’ account on Tuesday said the Deputy Chief Elections Officer was arrested on October 6, 2020 after she turned herself in in the company of her lawyers. “Further, Ms. Myers was promptly arrested for the offence of “conspiracy to defraud” and she was told of the allegation at the said time. She then exercised her right to remain silent,” police said.