Latoya Baptiste’s six-year-old son Adbur-Rahman has not seen his father, Leslie Daisley, for two years and seven months. The family left Daisley in Venezuela, detained by law enforcement and facing criminal charges.
Today, mother and son are tentatively hopeful that by next Friday, when Adbur-Rahman celebrates his seventh birthday, Daisley’s presence would be one of his gifts.
“He’s been very excited about seeing his father,” Baptiste said of her young son.
For the past couple of years, Abdur-Rahman would often ask when he would see his father or when the police would let him go.
The child was present in Venezuela in 2014 and saw his father’s arrest.
Daisley was one of five men—including Wade Charles, Dominic Pitilal, Asim Luqman and Andre Battersby—who were arrested on terrorism charges on March 19, 2014, after the Venezuelan intelligence agency raided their hotel rooms.
Since then, the men have remained locked up abroad, their families protesting and calling on Government to intervene and ensure their immediate return.
Yesterday morning, at 12.30 am, Imam Umar Abdullah answered his ringing telephone.
On the other line was Pitilal, who told him the court matter had ended and the men had been freed.
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon yesterday said the men had been found guilty and had been sentenced to two years, six months and 25 days.
Dillon said that was equivalent to the length of time they had been detained.
However, Abdullah told the media the men had been freed of all charges in the Venezuelan court.
The men were most recently facing charges of intent to commit espionage.
Yesterday, Abdullah, attorney Nafeesa Mohammed and the children, wives, mothers, sisters, and friends of the five men held a press conference at the Highway Mosque in Chaguanas, announcing the men’s return.
Abdullah said he was not certain when the men would return to T&T to be reunited with family members.
He said there were processes which needed to be followed for their release in Venezuela.
“Hopefully, we should have them back here with us, reunited with their families quickly.”
Abdullah said he was pleased with the information, adding that he felt a sense of joy and relief when he heard the news, rendering him speechless and leaving him in tears.
“We are happy to know our brothers are coming back home, that our nationals are returning to our soil.”
Thanking everyone for their support, Imam Abdullah said the Muslim community knew they could depend on T&T.
“Expect peace and love from the Muslim community when our brothers return.”
He called on Government to put mechanisms in place to reintegrate the men back into society.
Tears were also present in the eyes of Gloria Charles, mother of Wayne Charles, who said God had answered her prayers.
“To meet my son at Piarco airport will be the greatest moment in my life,” Charles said.
She thanked the Prime Minister and the present Government for any interventions they had made.
While some were celebratory, three of the wives, Sadeeqa Pitilal, Baptiste and Amina Luqman, said they would only be happy when their husbands placed their feet on T&T soil.
Pitilal, who remained sombre despite the news, said she was relieved a step forward had been taken but refused to be happy until her husband was home.