National Border Patrol Director, Daniel Seeram is still to be handed over to prison authorities even after the High Court upheld a Magistrates’ Court decision for him to be remanded to prison pending his sentencing on an assault conviction in November.

The Acting Director of Prisons, Nicklon Elliott, refused to offer any information on the issue when contacted. However, other senior Prison Officials confirmed that Seeram had not yet been handed over by the Police.

News Source understands that Seeram remains in Police custody.

The former Region 4 Chairman was convicted last Friday of assaulting his ex-wife in September 2023, and remanded to prison pending his sentencing on November 2.

On Monday, his attempt to secure pre-sentencing bail failed when High Court Judge Joy Persaud-Singh upheld the decision by Magistrate Abigail Gibbs in the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court to remand Seeram to prison.

Seeram was being held at the Sparendaam Police Station on the East Coast of Demerara pending Monday’s hearing. However, he was expected to be handed over to prison authorities following Monday’s ruling.

Asked repeatedly by News Source whether Seeram was handed over to the Prison Service, the Director declined to respond, instead redirecting the question to the Prison’s Public Relations Officer, Rajiv Bisnauth.

Bisnauth, when contacted, also declined to comment on the issue.

The Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed, in a post on social media last evening contended that Seeram was not in prison.

“I am standing at the Lusignan Prison confirming through prison officers that he is not here. I will shortly head to Camp Street Prison to make further checks. Prison Officers have confirmed that wife beater Daniel is not here neither. So, he is not at Lusignan and he is not at Camp Street Prison. This is a slap in the face of every domestic violence victim during this domestic violence month,” Mohamed said.

Mohamed accused the PPP/C Administration of having a history of protecting abusers and fraudsters.

“Our sources within the Guyana Prison Service say this is only the second time in their 22 years of service that they know of, where a person was remanded and never made it to jail. The first was Kevin Lorrimer, who was sentenced to nine months for fraud but never spent a day in prison. This is what happens when there is no separation of powers. This happens when the Executive meddles in the Judiciary, when the Courts cannot function independently. Court orders mean nothing in this country anymore,” the Opposition Leader said.

There were reports that Seeram was allowed to leave the Police station over the weekend, but his Attorney said he was unaware of any such action.

Justice Persaud-Singh, in dismissing Seeram’s application for Judicial Review said there was no indication that Magistrate Gibbs acted unlawfully, irrationally or outside of her jurisdiction. 

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