US could make Khan’s testimony available to Guyana
If the government is interested, the opportunity is available for it to access Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan for purposes of investigations. His guilty plea in the United States for trafficking in cocaine, witness tampering and gun running has
Roger Khan
robbed the nation of the detailed exposure of his criminal networks and relationships prior to his arrest and extradition from Trinidad leaves lots of questions unanswered. Yesterday, United States Ambassador Perry Holloway hosting his first press conference with the local media, at the United States Embassy, Duke Street, Kingston, was asked if the US is willing to facilitate any request from the government with regard to accessing Khan’s testimony for a possible Commission of Inquiry into deaths squads and the extent of Khan’s operations during his reign.
Holloway said that there are certain agreements that the United States has with the United Nations, the Organization of American States and quite possibly with Guyana that do allow provision for such. He was keen to note that this can only happen if the rules and regulations of the agreements allow. The Ambassador said that if so, “We would certainly be disposed to cooperate within the frame work of the rule of law.” On the down side, Holloway however explained that the requirements for such requests are pretty high.
He said that countries have to be able to go a step further. “We do not allow phishing expeditions. We would need something sort of concrete that we can see on paper or touch…but we usually co-operate with any country in the world.” Extradition He also noted that there is no need for an updated extradition treaty as the one in place is “perfectly fine.” Holloways said, “We are certainly open to extradition in either direction as long as it is done through the legal mechanisms set up.” He said that he recently met with a team that looked at the treaty “and we believe that it is a perfectly functional tool or mechanism. Can it always be improved? Sure! But the volume that we should have here, even if we really try to extradite more on either direction, it’s probably not worth doing a new agreement if the one that we have is perfectly fine.
“I guess there hasn’t been an extradition on either side for a while so we have to wait until an occurrence and see how it goes.” The Ambassador said, though, that if Guyana can point to a flaw in the present agreement that contradicts Guyana’s laws, “or just will not be able to work, we will be willing to look at it. ‘
Khan was sentenced in the US almost six years ago for drug trafficking. The PPP/C government under Jagdeo has long been believed to have allowed Khan a free rein to operate in the name of crime fighting after the country experienced an unprecedented crime spree that was triggered by the February 23, 2002 Camp Street prison break.
Khan, was nabbed in neighbouring Suriname and flown out to Trinidad where he was refused entry. He was then handed over to US authorities while still wandering on the Piarco Airport tarmac.
He had stated in a public advertisement that he had been fighting crime at the behest of the government.
But Jagdeo had denied knowing Khan.
He said that the longstanding perception of a connection with Khan was false. “Roger Khan was never my friend,” he said Khan pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine, witness tampering and gun-running and is now serving a 15-year prison sentence.
Special Agent Cassandra Jackson of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, in her affidavit to the US Court about Khan’s involvement in the drug trade in Guyana, gave an indication as to how powerful he was. “Khan was ultimately able to control the cocaine industry in Guyana, in large part, because he was backed by a paramilitary squad that would murder, threaten and intimidate others at Khan’s directive.
Khan’s enforcers committed violent acts and murders on Khan’s orders that were directly in furtherance of Khan’s drug trafficking conspiracy,” she had said. It was while he was managing his drug-smuggling business in neighbouring Suriname that the law finally caught up with Khan.
Khan acquired vast properties, recruited serving police officers, ordered executions, imported and exported cocaine, laundered millions of dollars, possessed specialised intercept equipment and armed himself with a wide assortment of handguns and ammunition.
All of this was possible only because of his “special relationship” with the then PPP Government. He enjoyed immunity from an indulgent administration and compliant law enforcement agencies.
