Dear Editor,
My client, Coen Jackson, who is currently on Ministry of Education-sanctioned administrative leave, welcomes the referral to the Guyana Police Force of the allegation levelled against him by Ruel Johnson, Cultural Advisor to the Ministry of Social Cohesion.
It is unfortunate that while this decision was made, and the matter now subject to investigation, Ruel Johnson continues to use social media and the mainstream media to peddle, poison, distort, accuse, try, convict, sentence, and condemn Mr Jackson, who is very much circumscribed by what he can say.
In a letter in the media on November 25, 2017 under the imprimatur of Ruel Johnson, Johnson repeats against Mr Jackson certain allegations which are now under Police investigation.
It is clear that the intention of Mr Johnson is to further influence and sway the Guyana Police Force’s investigation in a certain direction, in which Johnson has placed himself as the main actor/star boy in a developing plot.
Johnson’s behaviour was well-calculated, organized, engineered, and promoted in social media to create a certain caricature of Mr Coen Jackson without any investigation. Again, this was a denial of due process, and it poisons the environment in which the police now has to investigate.
Johnson has stated in his letter that he wants Mr Jackson to be charged under the Sexual Offences Act. Again, this is without any investigation being started or completed. Clearly, this is another example of Johnson’s disregarded and disrespect for natural justice, due process, and the rule of law.
Mr Johnson opens himself to be questioned on whether or not he has bestowed upon himself the powers of an Emperor/Pharaoh/King, as he states in his letter that “a few trusted and properly vetted social workers and legal professionals ought to be recruited to investigate this matter.”
If Mr. Johnson simply meant to launch a complaint, he could have done so in two or three paragraphs; but by inserting recommendations on how an investigation should be handled has tainted the process, denied Mr Coen Jackson due process, his natural justice rights, and has made a conclusion of the outcome; that is, Coen Jackson must be charged under the Sexual Offences Act.
We welcome the statement of the GTU General Secretary Ms Coretta McDonald, who stated that it is too early to pronounce on the allegations made against Mr Coen Jackson, and she has criticised the very public manner in the reporting of the claim.
We endorse as well Ms McDonald’s opinion/statement that the right approach had not been taken in addressing the allegation. Despite Ms McDonald’s public statement, Mr Johnson continues to operate unhinged, showing absolutely no respect or regard for due process and the rule of law.
We also wish to highlight the comments made by Mr Mark Lyte of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, who stated that the GTU has never been tasked with defending Mr Coen Jackson on any report to them. It was pointed out at the press conference held by us on November 21, 2017 that there has never been a report of misconduct of any nature across all the teaching institutions he has been associated with, nor has he been ever dismissed for wrongdoing covering a 20-year period.
Mr Jackson remains ready to cooperate fully with the Guyana Police Force, despite his grave concerns that the environment in which the police are now asked to operate has been poisoned and tainted by Mr Johnson’s continued campaign against him, for reasons which are very personal in nature.
Sincerely,
Attorneys at Law
Jerome Khan and Debra Khan, partners
