No money released for drug dealer’s funeral

THE State has refused to release $15,000 from the $3.3 million in seized assets of convicted drug dealer Mantoor Ramdhanie, which Ramdhanie’s relatives requested, in order to give him a funeral in his hometown of Icacos, following his death in prison last Thursday.

Ramdhanie was serving a life sentence for trafficking in illegal narcotics. Having refused the request, attorneys attached to the Confiscation of Property Unit in which the seized assets have been vested have advised Ramdhanie’s relatives to seek financial assistance from whatever property the convicted drug dealer left in his will. Through their attorneys, Ramdhanie’s wife and children yesterday expressed shock that the money was not released by the CPU. The attorneys of Lincoln Chambers told Newsday that Ramdhanie’s relatives of Icacos Village were told by officials of the CPU that only the court had the power to release the funds. In confirming this yesterday, Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Carla Browne-Antoine expressed regret that the monies could not be released for relatives to bury their loved one. “But it’s not in my power to do so. I have to be advised by attorneys of the Confiscation Unit,” Browne-Antoine said. The Ag DPP said when the request was made to her yesterday morning, she immediately read the file on the confiscation matter.

A total of $5.5 million was seized under the Dangerous Drugs Act when in 1996 Ramdhanie, together with his son Deochan, Patrick Toolsie and Ken Gresham, were convicted and jailed for life on drug trafficking charges. Ramdhanie died of complications caused by chronic diabetes and heart failure after he took ill at the Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain prison. Ramdhanie’s body was released yesterday to family members by prison authorities after an autopsy was performed. This was done upon a written request by attorneys to the Acting Commissioner of Police. The letter was copied to Minister of National Security, Howard Chin Lee. Attorneys confirmed to Newsday yesterday that they had drafted a letter to the Commissioner seeking to have Deochan Ramdhanie freed from life sentence temporarily to attend his father’s funeral in Icacos. Deochan is being kept at the Maximum State Prison under extremely tight security, since his escape from the Princes Town Magistrate’s Court in 1998 to Venezuela. Attorneys told Newsday yesterday that relatives were in need of between $15,000 to $20,000 to facilitate Ramdhanie’s funeral, which is to be done according to Hindu rites. Attorney Mark Seepersad of Lincoln Chambers said discussions were held yesterday morning with Ag DPP Brown-Antoine and subsequently, with attorneys of the Confiscation Unit. Seepersad said the CPU attorneys deliberated on the matter and around 1.30 pm, and advised that relatives apply to the High Court.