Rickford Burke implicated in criminal extortion conspiracy – Police

As the trial into a major extortion conspiracy continues, new evidence has emerged with the main witness implicating U.S. based Guyanese Rickford Burke in the crime.

Three individuals—Dorwin Bess, Marlon Gary Eleazar, and Alex Wayne—were charged in 2022 with two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony committed against businessman Afras Mohamed.

Months later, Burke was charged separately with the same offenses, as it was alleged that the three defendants and Rickford Burke conspired together to extort money from Mohamed. However, Wayne became a witness for the state, and the charges against him were dropped.

The trial is being heard at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore.

In providing an update on the trial, Police Headquarters, in a statement on Friday, said several witnesses have since given evidence. However, vital evidence came from the prosecution’s main witness, Wayne.

Police Headquarters stated that Wayne provided details about his connection with the defendants. Wayne claimed that it was Burke who instructed him to contact the victim, alleging that he was defrauding the government.

“Alex Wayne told the court that he knows Dorwin Bess because he once lived with Bess and worked for him. He also knows Eleazar because they once worked together at Kaieteur News. This witness added that he also knows Rickford Burke through Dorwin Bess, who told him that Burke is a former business partner and they are very good friends.

“This witness went on to state that in August 2022, he was working for Dorwin Bess, and during a conversation, Bess told him that he had instructed his right-hand business partner to receive $90 million in payment for fuel from Afras Mohamed,” Police Headquarters explained.

Wayne further claimed that during the same period, Bess ordered him to pretend to be a reporter from the GNN website and to produce an article accusing Mohamed of financial misconduct.

In September, Wayne added that he recorded Eleazar admitting to writing the articles and sending them to Bess and Burke.

Police further testified that Wayne collected $40,000 from Mohamed as a down payment to remove the articles. He also facilitated a meeting where the victim paid Eleazar an additional $50,000, with a promise to pay another $100,000 upon removal of the articles. However, the articles were not removed, causing Wayne to ask for a portion of the money collected.

“Eleazar then used his laptop and attempted to remove the article from the GNN website but could not log into the page. Eleazar promised to go home and try again later. Wayne added that he then asked Eleazar for $10,000 from the $50,000 he collected from Afras Mohamed because that was his cut for removing the article that was posted on the GNN website and to prevent the other article from being published,” Police Headquarters stated.

The trial is expected to continue on September 13. Bess is being represented by attorneys Dexter Todd and Dawn Cush, while Eleazar is represented by Todd.

The case is being prosecuted by the Police Legal Advisor, Mandel Moore.