simple farmer

On October 29, 2015 I received a call from Eustace Harcourt. He said that the court case against Regan Rodrigues was being held in court 5. Prior to this we were informed that the police prosecutor in the case had contacted the Rodrigues family requesting 3 million dollars to fix the case.
We spent a lot of time thinking what to do with this information and decided we would just go to court and observe who was there and what happened.

I arrived at the magistrate court about 1030am and a police officer searched my bag and person using a metal detector. My bag contained peanuts, an iPad and my telephone. The same police officer directed me to court 5 as I’d never been here before.

On the balcony outside court 5 I saw five persons seated on a bench facing west towards St. Andrews Kirk. Two elderly Portuguese looking men, an elderly Portuguese looking woman and two afro female police officers.

I do not know any of these persons and could only recognize two of them if we met again. One of the males who seemed blind in one eye and the female elderly woman who has a distinctive face and nose. By looking at her name tag I noticed one of the officers was a Corporal Payne but I could not recognize her if we met again.

I entered the court and sat in the front row next to Eustace Harcourt. He was seated in the southern most seat in the front row against the wall.

The magistrate was not in court. There were two police officers present. A male named Sgt. Mansfield and another male Constable McGarrell. Also present were three lawyers at the table and two females seated in the public gallery. A Chinese looking lawyer was speaking to these women.

Sgt. Mansfield and Constable McGarrell made many trips in and out the courtroom as we sat there. I thought these two individuals seems extremely busy and involved in something outside.

The magistrate [Ann McClennan I believe] returned and had a discussion with the lawyers and the police officers. Another male in plain clothes I assumed to be a police also joined the discussion.

The court has no audio system so it was difficult to hear much of what was being said. From bits and pieces we realized that the case was being put off until the afternoon and arrangements was being made to accommodate the attorney who is defending Regan Rodrigues. I believe the attorney name is Adrian Thompson.

There was a discussion about another matter and it seems as if the magistrate asked McGarrel to locate someone. He announced the name loudly and walked around to go outside again. Before exiting the court he stopped and asked me if my bag belonged to me. I had placed it on the ground. I answered in the affirmative. He then said I had to leave the court house and put my bag on the balcony as bags were not allowed in the court room. He further stated that I was improperly dressed with my shirt not tucked into my pants, which is also not allowed.

I felt he just made up those rules but I did not argue. I Said I would leave.

I got up and paused and McGarrell continued out the court room shouting the name of the person he was looking for. I pause until the door had closed then walked towards it and exited the court room.

I was now facing south on the balcony a few feet behind Constable McGarrell who was also on the balcony almost to the southern end of the bench. The three persons who were seated on the bench were standing facing north, talking to McGarrell. No one else was on the balcony.

The lady flanked by the two males had a black plastic bag with something inside in one of her hands and she gave it to McGarrell.

McGarrell placed this black plastic bag it in his right pants pocket and turned to his right and was now facing me with portions of the plastic bag protruding and clearly visible. He was now aware that I saw him received this item. He quickly tucked the rest of the bag completely into his pocket and returned into the court.

The three persons then left the balcony and walked out the courtyard. They stood on the pavement next to the main entrance in discussion. The prisoners van was parked in the yard.

I took a photo from the balcony and went downstairs to take a few more photos. They were discussing money and the lady mentioned the names of a few persons who were to bring more money or made promises to do so. I do not recall any of those names.

According to the time stamp on my camera I took the first photo from the balcony at 1107am and the last at 1109am with them standing under the three at the corner of Brickdam and Avenue of the Republic.

After their discussion the lady crossed avenue of the republic and headed west along Brickdam towards Stabroek market. The two men stood around for a while talking and also crossed Avenue of the Republic but headed north towards Sophia bus park.

Crum-Ewing’s father joined me on the pave and we brainstormed on what to do next. We decided to go to Brickdam Police station and talk to commander Hickens as we wanted someone to come search Constable McGarrell.

We walked to Brickdam station but Hickens was not there and were told by a female sergeant that an officer named Amsterdam was in charge but he was busy seeing other members of the public.

Running out of time as lunch was approaching we walked across the floor and met a detective named Jessemy and explained what transpired at Court 5. Jessemy expressed shock and disgust and called in another plain clothes officer named Whittaker.

Jessemy asked me a number of questions to get the full story. He said it was a very serious matter and he wanted to make sure he didn’t unnecessarily embarrass an officer on false accusations. He went over the incident a few times.

During this time the phone rang a couple times and Jessemy spoke to someone at the Crime Chief’s Office at Eve Leary. Courtney’s mother had gone there as we came to Brickdam to also file a complaint.

Jessemy instructed Whitaker to go to the court, speak to the prosecutor and search McGarrell and the court.

I am a member of the Central Housing & Planning Authority board of directors and had to attend a meeting so I did not return to the court to observe the search. Eustace Harcourt accompanied the detective.

I called for an update about 3pm and Eustace related to me that the detective did not follow the instructions given to him by Jessemy. He said Whittaker sat on the bench on the balcony and spoke to the prosecutor sergeant Mansfield. They were later joined by Corporal Payne.

Eustace said he entered the court house and saw Constable McGarrell inside.

He said he came back on the balcony and McGarrell exited the court house and went downstairs while Whitaker, Mansfield and Payne talked.

He said after McGarrell had gone downstairs, Whittaker asked him who was the person who collected the black bag and he told him the man that just walked past and go downstairs.

Eustace said Corporal Payne or Sergeant Mansfield said nothing to him which made him believe there were part of some conspiracy.

He said McGarrell came back upstairs and Whittaker asked him what he had in his pocket. McGarrell said he had his wallet.

Eustace said Whittaker never searched McGarrell, Payne, Mansfield or the office and in frustration he left.

I later called Jessemy and told him Whittaker did not do as instructed and blew the investigation. Jessemy said Whittaker said he searched the man but he did not find anything.

I said I would return to Brickdam with Eustace to discuss the matter further with Jessemy but never did and I’ve not called him back since.

I believe the case is being tampered with and we lost an excellent opportunity when constable McGarrell was not searched.

Two days later I wrote about what happened and published it on the internet as I believe this case was being fixed to be thrown out.

I also believe Mansfield, Payne and McGarrell should be removed from the magistrate’s court immediately and this matter thoroughly investigated.

I am willing to take a polygraph to test the accuracy of my statement and would invite McGarrell, Mansfield, Payne and the three persons on the balcony to subject themselves to the same.

The Guyana Police Force has proven itself professionally, technically and morally bankrupt when it comes to dealing with most police matters. As far as this case is concerned I would like to see outsiders taking over this investigation or at a minimum supervising it. Additionally the murder investigation and prosecution of matters related to the Courtney Crum-Ewing assassination should be assigned to a special prosecutor.

MARK JACOBS
3RD NOVEMBER, 2015