The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has accused Guyanese-American political activist Rickford Burke of lying about filing a complaint with the New York Police Department (NYPD) after one of its officers served him a court summons at his home last week.
In a statement last evening, GPF said it has communicated with senior officials at the NYPD and they confirmed “that Burke made no report to the NYPD against a GPF Officer and the Process Server who served him certain legal documents at his premises in New York, although he continues to allege publicly that he made such reports to the NYPD.”
“The GPF maintains that there was no illegality in connection with or in relation to the service of legal documents upon Rickford Burke. In the circumstances, his rantings constitute a tissue of lies and libel accentuated by malice and mischief.”
GPF reminded Burke and others that filing a false police report is illegal.
The police force added it will continue to act in accordance with local and international law.
Meanwhile, the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), which Burke heads, fired back at the GPF accusing it of lying.
CGID said the GPF has “zero credibility” as it highlighted instances in the past where the force would have told an untruth.
CGID encouraged Guyanese at home and in the diaspora to continue to exercise their right to free speech.
Burke has been summoned to appear in the Vigilance Magistrate’s court on March 28th, 2024.
Burke has been charged with a series of crimes including incitement of hostility or ill-will on the grounds of race, sedition, inciting public terror and seditious libel.
