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GDF denies soldier tortured
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol Tuesday, 23 August 2011 19:55


Pt. Dane Wilson being interviewed by force Welfare Officer, Deon Heyliger (GDF photo)

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Tuesday denied torturing a soldier, instead blaming his mistreatment on other inmates in a military cell.
The report first surfaced in the privately-owned Kaieteur News report on Tuesday, stating that Private Dane Wilson was stripped, beaten and forced to lie on wet concrete floor while in custody at the GDF’s Camp Ayanganna headquarters.

“This claim by Kaieteur News is far from the truth and the soldier, Private Dane Wilson, was interviewed and denied he suffered any form of torture,” the army said in a statement. The army said Wilson was penalized for refusing to perform military duty and being absent without leave. Allegations of torture in the GDF are not new, dating back to between November 23 and December 6, 2006 when three soldiers-Michael Dunn, Sharth Robertson and Alvin Wilson – all had complained that of being beaten, cuffed, kicked, shocked, struck with metal objects and more. Two civilians had been also alleged tortured at a time when the joint services were hunting down those who had stolen several assault rifles and handguns. The political opposition, Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and major Western Nations had all called for an independent probe to be conducted into the allegations.

The remainder of the GDF statement reads:
“Last Friday Private Wilson was ordered to be placed in detention for refusing to perform a military duty and being absent without leave. Upon being taken to the cell he stripped naked and had to be wrapped in a sheet before being placed in the cell, where he was eventually clothed in detention uniform. Private Wilson was subsequently disciplined yesterday, Monday 22, for the offences. “Our investigations have so far revealed that his mattress was withdrawn from him and his cell was deliberately soaked by another inmate. The persons responsible will be appropriately disciplined. Further investigations are being conducted into allegations that he was manhandled while in the cell. The Force Welfare Officer today contacted his mother to have her concerns addressed but she was unavailable and promised to visit the Welfare Officer tomorrow. The GDF wishes to assure the public that all of its actions and practices are of a high standard and are above board; and it is on record of taking swift disciplinary action against deviant behaviour.”

Source
FM
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