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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Mothers continue cry for justice By Navendra Seoraj CRIES for justice are prevalent in many cases; however, persons going missing without a trace or offenders disappearing into the wind leave a damper in the hearts of the families affected. Six years after these tragic events occurred, the mothers of the still missing Babita Sarjou and the deceased Leeloutie “Pinky” Seeram have now joined forces with the Caribbean American Domestic Violence Awareness (CADVA) Group in calling for justice for their daughters. At the Pegasus Hotel on Monday, both mothers, Champa Seonarine (Sarjou’s mother) and Lata Inderdeo (Seeram’s mom), along with CADVA members, expressed their dissatisfaction at the lack of urgency in following-up on their respective cases. Sarjou’s disappearance in 2010 was marked as a case without a trace, and CADVA has since been working closely with members of her family to persuade Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar AliHack, to reopen investigations into the case. In 2012, they requested the assistance of then Attorney Khemraj Ramjattan, who is now Guyana’s Minister of Public Security. Seeram was allegedly killed in 2010 by her husband in an alleged domestic homicide back in March 2010. She is survived by two children, and the prime suspect has since been on the run. Speaking with the media, the mothers pleaded for justice. Seonarine noted that she had, several times, tried approaching the police, to no avail, while Inderdeo had a similar lament about her attempt to gain justice. Their plea for justice is poignant, given that it has been almost six years since the two incidents have occurred and nothing has
happened. CADVA’s Chief Operations Officer (COO), Dianne Madray, echoed the cry of the mothers, as she noted that, “I, too, have had sleepless nights, wondering where would a woman like Babita Sarjou disappear to, and why a husband kill his wife…. We are working hard to bring these and other cases to the attention of the necessary officials, as we hope to deliver justice.” A meeting, she said, was held with the DPP and the Assistant DPP on Friday, March 18, where the mothers were again informed that
passed on to the Commissioner of Police for his response to my written request,” said the COO. Madray said she is not aware of any response being received up to Monday. Moreover, she said: “On behalf of the family, we requested copies of both files, including statements, to further our own investigation, of which we have reasons to believe lead officer Mitchell Novah Caesar has compromised the initial investigation and/or investigation CADVA’s COO, Dianne Madray, speaking to members of the media
Missing: Babita Sarjou and her family in happier times
the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is responsible for these investigations, but has not sent the file to the DPP since her first request. PROMISE On March 14, 2016, Madray met with Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan, who said he would also ensure that the file is
Criminal Session opens today ONE hundred and fifty-three (153) cases are listed for hearing at the Demerara Criminal Session, which opens in Georgetown today. The event will be marked by the traditional ceremonial parade with the Police Band and 60 ranks of the Tactical Services Unit. The three judges who will preside at the session are Justices Navindra Singh, Jo-Ann Barlow and Priya Sewnarine-Beharry. Of the 153 cases Mr. Singh has been assigned 62, Justice Barlow 51 and Justice Sewnarine-Beharry 40. The cases will include over 29 murders, 18 manslaughters, rape and carnal knowledge cases.
located. “An official letter was submitted to his office on March 28, 2016; and on March 29, a response was given that my request would be
ana Police Force, which is responsible for these criminal investigations, work in alliance and with due diligence with the Office of the DPP,” she said. “I strongly believe this is not done with any type of urgency or respect (for) these families, like in the Sarjou case. In our request to Minister Ramjattan, we also call on his office to place disciplinary actions against Mr Caesar, and remove him from cases that could compromise the standard of the law enforcement in Guyana. “Mr Ceasar needs to be set as an example that we cannot allow the criminal justice system to take for granted and forget that this was a human being and her rights were violated when her voice could not be heard and was silenced,” Madray said. She noted that, in Guyana, there is no law for missing persons, and she said they are hoping, in memory of Babita Sarjou, to get Lata Inderdeo shows members of the media a a bill passed with the photograph of her daughter, Leeloutie ‘Pinky’ intent of calling it the Seeram Babita Sarjou Missing Person’s Law. This is of suspected domestic homicide. still a work in progress. “At this time, CADVA hopes “We need to take a case like the that, together, the Office of the Sarjou case and set precedence, so DPP and Office of Ministry of that change can come and police Public Security can together help officers who handle these cases in finding closure for the family of place urgency and follow a protoBabita Sarjou. col within a designated timeframe, “It is imperative that the Guy- not six years later,” Madray said.