Paul Slowe granted bail on sexual misconduct and conspiracy to defraud charges

After posting bail and making his way out of the Courtyard, Mr. Slowe explained why he objected to the attempt by the Police to arrest him as he appeared to answer a summons of the Court. He said the Police Officers simply had no authority to effect an arrest.

Paul Slowe granted bail on sexual misconduct and conspiracy to defraud charges

Former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates Court this morning to answer charges that were filed against him while he was out of Guyana. Mr. Slowe returned to the country yesterday.

When he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to make his way to the Courtroom to answer the charges, four Police Officers surrounded him and attempted to take him into custody.

Mr. Slowe objected and told the Officers that he will not be taken into custody since the charges have already been filed against him and are already properly before the Court and therefore he is there to attend the Court hearing and will not subject himself to be taken into custody.

Slowe’s position led to a stand-off as one of the officers grabbed him by the arm and tried to force him to the inquiries office at the Court. The retired Assistant Commissioner held his ground and said he would not be moving until his Attorneys appear.

When his Attorney, Selwyn Pieters appeared, he told the officers that they cannot issue an arrest since the matter has already been laid before the Court and his client was heading to Court. Pieters made it clear to the police ranks that they were wrong with their attempt to arrest Slowe.

Eventually, after another Attorney offered advice to the police officers, they backed off and instead followed Mr. Slowe into the Courtroom.

In Court, Slowe was informed of the charges filed against him. Three of the charges were related to the alleged sexual assault of a police officer.

It is alleged that while he served as Chairman of the Police Service Commission he sexually assaulted a female rank in 2019 by allegedly rubbing her leg in a sexual manner without consent. He was not required to enter a plea to the charges and was released on $225,000 bail on the three charges.

Slowe was also charged separately for conspiracy to defraud the state of $10 million.

The conspiracy charge is related to payments allegedly made to Slowe and other retired Senior Officers of the Police Force for their work on reforming the Standing Orders of the Police Force. He was also not required to enter a plea to the charge and was granted $100,000 bail.

Slowe surrounded by Police Officers who attempted to arrest him at the Court

After posting bail and making his way out of the Courtyard, Mr. Slowe explained why he objected to the attempt by the Police to arrest him as he appeared to answer a summons of the Court. He said the Police Officers simply had no authority to effect an arrest.

“You cannot be trying to arrest me for charges that already before the Court. I am here to answer to the summons and I went upstairs where the charges were read to me…I went up to the Court and somehow they (the officers) disappeared which tells you they had no authority, none at all to say they are arresting me for matters that are already before the Court. The man telling me, a senior Police Officer who understands the system that he was arresting me to caution me of the charge. They can’t caution me when the matter is already before the Court. I am answerable to the Court and not to the Police”, Slowe said.

His Attorney Selwyn Pieters said there was a clear motive behind the action of the Police Officers and he sees the attempt to arrest Slowe as assault.

The matters that are before the Court will continue in November.

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