HGP Nightly News – Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe walked out of the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court a free man today, after Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case against him beyond a reasonable doubt.
The not-guilty verdict brings a decisive end to a case that has shadowed the former senior police officer for years. Allegations first surfaced in 2019, when a female police officer claimed that Slowe had sexually assaulted her on three separate occasions in March and April of that year at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary. The charges led to a protracted legal battle, with multiple court appearances and extensive legal submissions.
In her ruling moments ago, Magistrate Azore made clear that the prosecution’s evidence had fallen well short of the threshold required for a conviction. She stated unequivocally that she could not rely on the evidence presented and that the case had not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The language of her ruling left little room for ambiguity: the prosecution, she said, had failed to meet its fundamental burden.
The case had not been without its twists. Earlier in the proceedings, the Magistrate had overruled a no-case submission made by Slowe’s attorneys, ruling that the prosecution had established a sufficient basis for him to be called upon to lead a defence. That decision raised expectations that the matter would proceed to a full conclusion on the merits. But after considering all the evidence, including the defence case, the court ultimately determined that the allegations could not be sustained.
Slowe was represented by attorneys Dexter Todd and Dawn Cush, who successfully navigated the complex proceedings and secured their client’s acquittal.
For Slowe, the ruling represents the closing of a painful chapter. A 33-year veteran of the Guyana Police Force who rose to the rank of Assistant Commissioner, he had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. Today’s verdict vindicates that stance, though the years of legal uncertainty cannot be undone.
