Police Inspector sues Rickford Burke for defamation

(Photo: Rickford Burke: Police Inspector Prem Narine)

Police Inspector Prem Narine has filed a lawsuit in which he is seeking more than $5M in damages for defamation against political activist Rickford Burke who is also the President of the Caribbean Guyana Institute of Democracy (CGID).

Inspector Narine, who has been a member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for over a decade, alleges that Burke seriously damaged his character when he published via his Facebook page, a series of posts about him that are false.

In a Statement of Claim filed on his behalf by Attorney-at-Law Sanjeev Datadin, Inspector Narine deposed that the slanderous statements were published on October 11, 2021, October 24, 2021, and October 25, 2021.

The senior Police rank said that the false and malicious statements published by Burke, suggest that he is a murderer and a political operative of the ruling People’s Progressive Party. According to him, the statements intended and had the effect of lowering his character, morality, and honesty in the eyes of right-thinking persons.

Apart from damages, Inspector Narine is asking the Demerara High Court to grant an injunction restraining Burke from further publishing or causing to be published the same or similar defamatory words. He is further asking the court to grant any other reliefs it finds just, in the circumstances of the case.

Since Burke is known to be residing in the United States of America, the relevant court documents will be served on him via FedEx.