Police Service Commission Chairman denies fraud, sexual assault allegations

Last Updated on Friday, 21 May 2021, 17:19 by Denis Chabrol

Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Retired Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Slowe on Friday denied that he conspired with others to defraud the Guyana Police Force of GYD$10 million and that he sexually assaulted a female police officer.

Through his Attorney-at-Law, Selwyn Pieters, Mr. Slowe also indicated that he would filing a lawsuit against the Police Force for sullying the name of his client. “Mr. Slowe also intends to vindicate his reputation from the defamation that is being peddled,” Mr. Pieters said in a statement.

Based on information provided Mr. Slowe, the Canada-based Guyanese lawyer “the allegations of conspiracy to defraud is false.”  He rejected the State’s case that the review of the Standing Order had been already done by a consultant and so Mr. Slowe and several other members of the review team that had been assembled by then Police Commissioner Leslie James received the money for work which was purportedly done. “Work was done on the standing orders. There  was no timeline in which the work was to be completed,” he said.

The Attorney-at-Law explained that the National and Regional Elections  held in Guyana on the 2nd March, 2020 caused the process to be suspended due to general and regional election matters, the COVID-19 pandemic and Mr. Slowe’s other duties as PSC Chairman and his paid employment that takes him overseas.

He explained that in the leadup to the  elections, the location in which meetings were held became unavailable due to use by the  Guyana Police Force for elections purposes. Further, on March 11, 2020, the World Health  Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. He added that the election situation in Guyana which was resolved in August 2020 and the compounding COVID19 pandemic, made meetings  to deal with finalization of the Standing Orders not feasible.

Further Mr. Slowe denied that he had sexually assaulted Assistant Superintendent Nicola Kendall.  “The allegations of sexual assault levelled against Mr. Slowe by the Assistant Superintendent  Kendell is false. The claim that she reported the matter to Assistant Commissioner Andries-Junor is also false. No touching at any time took place at any meetings Mr. Slowe attended,” the lawyer said on behalf of his client.

Attorney-at-Law Pieters said Mr Slowe intends to plead not guilty to those charged.  “His criminal  lawyers will be vigorously defending this matter and look forward to the truth coming out in a  court of law.,” he said.

Mr. Slowe was not in court on Thursday when the others were arraigned on the joint charge of conspiracy to defraud. He is currently overseas.

No charge related to the alleged sexual offence  was called in court.