Rajaee Ali moved to 'Guantanamo,' his lawyer wants answers

AN attorney representing murder accused Rajaee Ali has written to acting Commissioner of Prison Dennis Pulchan to find out why the former LifeSport co-ordinator was forcibly removed from the remand section of the Maximum Security Prison (MSP) in Arouca to Building 13.

On Wednesday, Ali was removed from the remand yard of MSP and taken to Building 13 which is commonly referred to as Guantanamo.

Ali’s attorney Roshan Tota-Maharaj wrote to the commissioner seeking answers and requesting that his client be put back in his regular cell.

A statement from the Islamic Front on Thursday described the move as a “new wave of terror by the State against Muslims.”

Head of the Islamic Front, Umar Abdullah said it was a gross human rights violation.

He also said Building 13 was known for being an “edifice for punishment.”

Abdullah also said Ali was not one to incite violence and also called on Pulchan to say publicly who gave the instructions for Ali to be moved.

He said his organisation had “full confidence in Commissioner Pulchan's methods and this certainly in our view is not one of them.

“We see this as an attempt to undermine the good work of the Commissioner of Prisons and an attempt to usurp his authority. This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”

Abdullah also called on the Prime Minister to investigate.

Ali’s removal took place after he attended a virtual court hearing for gang charges against him.

That matter has been adjourned to September 9 since neither Ali nor the 12 others, some of whom are also charged with the murder of former independent senator Dana Seetahal, SC, were served with the notices.

In March, the Court of Appeal ordered gang charges against those charged with Seetahal’s murder be amended so that they can be heard summarily, and reinstated.

The 13 who are on gang charges are: Ali, Devaughn Cummings, Ishmael Ali, Ricardo Stewart, Earl Richards, Stephan Cummings, Gareth Wiseman, Hamid Ali, Kevin Parkinson, Leston Gonzales, Roget Boucher, Devon Peters and David Ector.

Stephen Cummings turned state witness against the others and Ector was killed in July 2018.

A warrant was to be issued for Peters’ arrest since he and Ector, neither of whom were charged with Seetahal’s murder, were the only two allowed to walk free.

In July, Ali and nine others were committed to stand trial for Seetahal’s murder.

Magistrate Sarah Da Silva is presiding over the gang charges trial.