Rickford Burke served with Guyana defendant summons in New York

Last Updated on Sunday, 24 December 2023, 22:16 by Writer

New York-based Guyanese, Rickford Burke, who is wanted in Guyana for a series of offences, has been served with a Guyana Police Force summons to attend court in March, 2024.

Mr Burke, a known activist against the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC), earlier this week claimed that armed men were seen nearby his residence in New York. He said that occurrence was reported to the New York Police Department.

No reference was made to him being served with a summons.

He is required to attend court on March 28, 2024.

The Guyana Police Force said the defendants’ summons were served by a senior police officer on December 16, 2023.

“On the 16th December 2023, ASP Rodwell Sarabo met with Mark Wesserman, a Process Server based in the United States of America and they served both defendant summons on Rickford Burke at his home address at Maple Street, Brooklyn, New York. Both defendant summons were read to Rickford Burke and he said he understood,” police said in a statement

Following is the full text of the Guyana Police Force’s statement:

On the 3rd December 2021, the Guyana Police Force issued a Wanted bulletin for Rickford Burke in relation to the following offences:

• The excitement of hostility or ill-will on the grounds of Race, under the Racial Hostility Act.

• Sedition under the Cyber Crime Act.

• Use of a computer system to coerce and intimidate a person, under the Cyber Crime Act.

• Seditious Libel contrary to common law.

• Seditious Libel under the peace under the Summary Jurisdiction Offences Act

• Inciting public terror under the Criminal Law Offences Act

Subsequently, on the 29th day of September 2022, the Guyana Police Force again issued a Wanted Bulletin for Rickford Burke in relation to the offence of Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, Contrary to Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01 with regards to the publication of defamatory libel in order to extort money from Afras Mohammed.

Subsequently, on the 18th day of August, 2023, two charges were filed at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court against Rickford Burke for the said offence. However, Rickford Burke who resides in the United States of America, was absent from Court.

As such, the Magistrate ordered that the ‘defendant summons’ be prepared and served on Rickford Burke to attend the Vigilance Magistrate’s court on the 28th day of March 2024. As such, pursuant to the order of the Court, two (2) defendant summons were subsequently prepared and on the 13th day of December, 2023, an Officer of the Guyana Police Force, ASP Rodwell Sarabo left Guyana and travelled to the United States of America with both defendant summons in his possession.

On the 16th December 2023, ASP Rodwell Sarabo met with Mark Wesserman, a Process Server based in the United States of America and they served both defendant summons on Rickford Burke at his home address at Maple Street, Brooklyn, New York. Both defendant summons were read to Rickford Burke and he said he understood.

Finally, the Guyana Police Force wishes to make it known that a similar course of action will be adopted against persons who are outside of the jurisdiction and engage in criminal conduct.