The High Court has awarded opposition parliamentarian David Patterson GUY$1 million (US$4,767) in damages after he was wrongfully prevented from leaving Guyana in 2023.
In her ruling on Friday, Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire also ordered the State to pay Patterson GUY$250,000 (US$1,191) in legal costs.
Though a victory for Patterson, it fell short of his GUY$25 million (US$119,190) claim. The lawsuit stemmed from an incident where authorities blocked him from leaving the country on September 26, 2023, when he was scheduled to join an opposition delegation meeting with American congressmen and other officials.
Patterson had cleared security checks at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and was preparing for his flight when Immigration officials prevented his departure.
The Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC) was allowed to travel several days later. His attorney, Nigel Hughes, subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming breach of fundamental right to freedom of movement, seeking exemplary damages and costs. Patterson claimed he experienced loss, shame, and embarrassment due to the travel restriction.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) attributed the incident to Patterson being mistakenly left on an Immigration Department watch list following an earlier indecent exposure charge.
The Police Force, whose Commissioner serves as Chief Immigration Officer, issued an apology to Patterson, who was later acquitted of the indecent exposure charge in February 2024.
This post was originally published on here
