NY-based Ed Ahmad gets default judgement against reporter Travis Chase

Last Updated on Monday, 28 July 2025, 18:49 by Writer

New York-based Guyanese businessman, Ed Ahmad has obtained default judgement against news reporter Travis Chase for the posting of defamatory content on Facebook, according to court records.

Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln is yet to state the amount of damages that Mr Chase would have to pay the businessman. The order states that Mr Chase failed to defend the claim that was made by the businessman who is also a shareholder in a number of businesses in Guyana. “Judgement in default of defence is entered against the defendant for an amount to be determined by the court based on the affidavit evidence already before the court,” states the June 10, 2025 order.

The court gave Mr Ahmad until July 1, 2025 to file any additional submissions.

Originally, Mr Ahmad had sought GY$100 million from Mr Chase for libel.

The court issued default judgement after High Court Marshals failed twice to personally serve Mr Chase at his workplace, HGPTV, Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara. The lawyers said, at Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde’s request, the lawsuit was served through him.

“The Respondent/Defendant has failed to enter an appearance in these proceedings and he has also failed to serve and file a Defence in High Court Action herein within forty-two (42) days of service, that is, on or before the 17th April, 2025, as prescribed by the Civil Procedure Rules,” Mr Ahmad’s lawyers Darshan Ramdhani and Rajendra Jaigobin say in court papers.

Mr Ahmad also wants the High Court to order Mr Chase to remove the “patently fabricated, concocted, false and malicious posts” from his Facebook account. The offending posts were made on 29th January, 2025, 30th January, 2025, the 31st January, 2025, the 1st February, 2025, the 9th February, 2025, the 13th February, 2025, and the 14th February, 2025 on Facebook.

Mr Ahmad’s lawyers say that, contrary to the posts, he was never arrested or questioned by the police in relation to money laundering and gold smuggling nor is he part of any criminal gang as contended by Mr Chase.