Freeman Fordyce — a Diamond nightclub owner who is no stranger to the courts — today had an arrest warrant issued for him after he failed to show up to his latest court proceedings into two counts of human trafficking.
Freeman Fordyce, 41, of Lot 99 Collingswood Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara, is accused of trafficking two Venezuelan women for sexual exploitation at his club.
This morning when the matter was called in the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, Fordyce’s lawyer, Ashely Henry, told the court that she made contact with her client and informed him to appear in court today for the charges to be read to him.
However, when the orderly called his name thrice no one entered or appeared.
Hence, Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that a summons was issued for him to attend court.
He added that officers went to Fordyce’s Nandy Park address and his business address and they were unable to make contact with him.
The Magistrate, after listening to the prosecutor, issued an arrest warrant for Fordyce and adjourned the matter until April 24, 2019.
Last month, Fordyce was arrested and released on his own recognizance (self-bail) in relation to the new charges and was instructed to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), pending his arraignment in court.
However, Fordyce failed to show up at CID, resulting in the police looking for him.
According to information, police carried out a raid at the club in Diamond two months ago, which led to the arrest of 15 women, all said to be foreign nationals.
This was after a video circulated on social media showed a woman jumping over a locked gate to get into the Diamond Hotel and Night Club compound.
A few months ago, Fordyce was handed a suspended sentence by Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty on an illegal gun and ammo charge, after being found guilty. The Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions has since appealed the Magistrate’s decision.
Fordyce is also currently on trial for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. He was charged in relation to this crime after video footage showed him resisting a search by Inspector Prem Narine before punching the officer in the face.
