Michelle Miller, one of the four GECOM employees arrested with the embattled Returning Officer of Region Four Clairmont Mingo is hospitalised under Police guard at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Her attorney Eusi Anderson in a statement Sunday revealed that she is being treated for high blood pressure.
The attorney said his client was arrested on Wednesday, August 26 and taken to the CID Headquarters where she continues to be detained and questioned without legal counsel present.
According to the lawyer, Miller his client has been in Police custody for more than 100 hours without any charges.
Mingo, Miller and others were arrested by the Police in connection with an investigation into electoral fraud committed at the March 2 polls.
Mingo has been charged with four offences and is due to appear at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning.
See below the full statement issued by Miller’s attorney:
My client Michelle Miller has authorised me to issue the following statement on her behalf.
- She was arrested at 11 am on Wednesday 26th August, 2020 at her residence and taken to CID Eve Leary. Questioning commenced without Attorney, in spite of requests for same, or her rights being read to her. At 2:53pm on 26th August, 2020 at CID Headquarters Eve Leary she used her blood pressure testing machine after feeling faint. The reading was 240/141. This reading showed up even after she self-administered 2 doses of the medication prescribed for her chronic high blood pressure condition. Her normal range is 140/90.
- Upon request by her Attorney Eusi Anderson to Sgt Pitama, she was at 15:06 hours on 26th August, 2020 whisked to GPHC where she remains warded under police guard at her bedside, under the care of Dr. Ramsarran’s medical team. I register thanks to Sgt Pitama for his professional and swift intervention in the decision to hospitalise her immediately.
- Whilst under arrest from 26th August- present at the GPHC my client’s health remains unstable; her pressure is not stabilising.
- Seventy Hours after arrest expired on Saturday 29th August, 2020 at around 11am. She has not been charged. No Court Order for her continued detention has been presented to her or her Attorney. No further questioning has been embarked upon either.
- Today Sunday August 30th the Doctors at GPHC decided to discharge her on 14 days sick leave and orders of strict bed rest. The discharge was supposed to happen around 11 am. A team of female police officers informed her at GPHC that they were to take her to CID Headquarters upon instructions. She protested that she is unwell and she began to complain that there is no lawful basis for the continuation of her arrest.
- At 11:20 am Sunday 30th August 2020 she was re-arrested in her hospital bed in the presence of 6 other patients. Her pressure was self- tested at 11:21 and the reading was 219/127. At this point, the medical team decided that it was unsafe to proceed with the discharge. They suspended it. They then tested her blood pressure at 11:36 am using GPHC equipment and the reading was 220/150. The Medical professionals suspended her discharge and decided to administer Lebetelol intravenously at 20mg. She had just 3 hours before orally self-administered medication for high blood pressure.
- Ms Miller was never charged or convicted of an offence. Ms Miller has asked repeatedly for the police to reduce their questions into writing such that she can consider responding in writing should she waive her constitutional protection of silence. She made this offer since 26th August 2020. At 1600 hours today she remains warded at GPHC with a doctor’s order of 14 days sick leave and bed rest to stabilise her blood pressure and referral for ultrasound and further heart and kidney tests for Monday 31st August, 2020 to ascertain the true state of her health and causes of and damage done by the chronic high blood pressure. She remains under arrest for a period of 100 hours as at 1600 hours today and counting at GPHC.
Law Office of Eusi Anderson Esq.
30th August, 2020.
Moral of this story: Do not attempt to rig an election, ever!
Doctors please check the young lady to see if she is possibly suffering from “riggeritus”
A terrible disease that was brought under control in 1992 but it seems to have been carried by a retiree from that era and spread to GECOM during the March 2 elections.
Riggeritus is curable if you have enough democracy to treat all the patients. Some may have to wait in jail for the treatment as their hard ears don’t hear to well.
Questions do not come from Police in writing Ms Miller. Because the Police feel that gives liars to much of a chance to craft answers.. Were you the one that sent the whatsapp asking for all the documents to be removed from the ballot boxes in the PPP strongholds on the ECD? Because if you remain silent and you were the one that sent those messages…..please say goodbye to your family for awhile and pack up your pressure machine…..I am sure it will work in the womens prison for a few years.