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-police force launches probe, ranks under close arrest

Commissioner of Police Leslie James

Commissioner of Police Leslie James

December 18 2019

Source

Two police constables, who are brothers, are currently under close arrest after they allegedly beat and burnt a 17-year-old, who they accused of breaking into their La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD) home last week.

Commissioner of Police Leslie James made the disclosure yesterday morning during an emergency press conference held at his office to address the case, which is currently being investigated.

The ranks, who are stationed at the Tactical Services Unit and at the Wales Police Station, are also the sons of a senior member of the Guyana Police Force.

James announced that an investigation has been launched and that it is being spearheaded by a senior member of the force.

“…As a responsible force, I thought it best for us to meet this way, so I can report directly and let you know that is a matter that we are currently investigating. I can say to you that the two ranks are in custody and this matter is being investigated. The investigation is being led by a very senior police officer,” James related.

The Top Cop told the media that based on reports, the ranks allegedly picked up the teen around 11.30 am on Monday from his Westminster, West Bank Demerara home in a private car, which was occupied by other individuals.

They took him their house, where they allegedly beat and burnt the teen with a liquid, suspected to be hot water.

“The allegation is that sometime between the hours of 11.30, he [the teen] was picked up by these two ranks, who allegedly were with other persons, and taken to a dwelling in the Parfaite Harmonie area. I think the dwelling is their residence,” James said.

“The background to that is that the dwelling was broken into sometime prior and it was felt that the young man was a suspect. The allegation is that that ranks proceeded to inflict injuries on him that is, he was beaten and he was also burnt about his body by some liquid—I suspect it might have been water; hot water,” he added.

The reported break and enter is said to have occurred on December 12th and some items were allegedly stolen from the house, James noted.

He further explained that the teen related to his sister what had transpired. The sister then told his mother and a report was made at La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station.

James said that the matter was bought to his attention yesterday morning by the Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean.

James added that the complainant is being treated and is said to be at home recovering.

Under the former government, the High Court awarded $6.5 million to a teen whose genitals were set alight at the Leonora Police Station after he was detained as part of a murder investigation. In that case, which the court said constituted torture, the boy, then 15, was allegedly doused with methylated spirits and set alight. The case had sparked widespread condemnation of the actions of the police. Two policemen, Mohanram Dolai and Narine Lall, had been charged for causing grievous bodily harm to the teen but the charges were eventually dismissed after the teen and others failed to show up at the trial to give evidence.

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skeldon_man posted:

Only in Guyana is this possible. We have an idiot for a security minister and a Mugabe for president.

Interesting to see how this plays out. The PNC lawyer son who shoot the Director  of the private school is still protected 

Principal of the School of the
Nations, Dr. Brian O’Toole

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FM

What this demonstrates is the level of frustration the people of Guyana have with crime!  We often blame the police for being involved or not doing enough!  Here we witnessed police themselves being victims and lashing out in frustration!

I said umteen times, as long as Guyana looks at everything, us and them, tit-for-tat, the criminals win!!

Baseman

https://s1.stabroeknews.com/images/2019/12/Brian-OToole.jpg

Dr Brian O’Toole

December 17 2019

Source

Director of School of the Nations, Dr Brian O’Toole said he had a fruitful meeting last week with Crime Chief (ag) Michael Kingston in relation to the almost one-year-old shooting in which he was wounded.

In a statement he however expressed frustration at the outcome of a meeting yesterday with US Embassy officials on the same matter.

Both interactions he believes were as a result of an article carried last week by Stabroek News and a letter in the Guyana Chronicle.

O’Toole said that during last week’s meeting, Kingston was provided with “every piece of evidence and information we have” in relation to the shooting. This, he added, includes information on the suspected persons of interest.

“The Crime Chief was therefore again given names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses of ‘persons we believe are of interest’, O’Toole said.

O’Toole was shot at his home on January 27th, hours after he had called a meeting at the school to address threats that had surfaced online against the institution’s student body. The threats were made via Facebook and police and cybersecurity experts have been trying to locate the individual responsible.

The shooting resulted in the paralysis of O’Toole’s left hand. He has since undergone five surgeries on the hand.

The school was temporarily closed after parents expressed their fears about security in light of the threats and the subsequent shooting of O’Toole. Prior to reopening, the school intensified its security and adopted an active shooter response plan.

Dissatisfied with the police investigation, parents also staged a peaceful protest in front of the Ministry of Public Security’s Brickdam office, where they announced a $1 million reward for any information that might lead to the arrest of the perpetrator/s.

Information that was circulated suggested that the shooter was identified and had gone to the United States.

O’Toole yesterday further explained that for the first time since the incident, he met with officials from the US Embassy.

He said during the meeting, the Head of Security at the embassy repeatedly told him that the US Embassy has no jurisdiction in the matter.

“In the meeting this afternoon the Head of Security repeated, four times, that the US Embassy has no jurisdiction in this matter,” O’Toole said.

“Perhaps I am indeed missing something that a boy who has lived in the US for more than a decade, and continues to reside there, and who makes life threatening threats in social media, threats that materialized  mere hours after posting, is somehow not the responsibility of the US government”, O’Toole stated.   

Just last Wednesday, Stabroek News had reported that the probe was at a standstill after both O’Toole and the police differed on the reason why his assailant had not yet been brought to justice.

When contacted for an update on the police investigation last Monday, Kingston had told Stabroek News that there is a “thick file” on the investigation, which remains open. “We have a thick file, we have a thick investigating file…The investigation is not closed. Any bit of information we get, we pursue it,” he had said.

Kingston, however, noted that unless O’Toole divulges the information which he claims he had, which might lead to the alleged shooter, the matter is likely to remain unsolved.

“Mr O’Toole on several occasions was contacted by the investigator of this matter. He said that he knows somebody who has information and we have been asking him to take us to the person so that we can have a statement…He is not doing it…I don’t know how Mr O’Toole expects this matter to be solved,” Kingston had said.

Give us the name

“…We asked him to just give us the name, let us approach the people and he is not doing it…We have been continuously asking him to give us the information of the persons who he claims have information. He is not doing it and until he is prepared to do it, we are [not] going to move forward with the investigation,” he added.

Kingston had further said that the police had no information on the alleged shooter.

“No, we can’t, we don’t. He said he has that information through some parent or something and we asked him to give us the name…We will find a way to cut around and see how we can extract the information from the person and he is not cooperating to give us the name and he continues to write and bombard the police and he is not cooperating,” he had said.

However, O’Toole had denied Kingston’s statements.

He said that two days after the shooting, he provided the police with a description of the alleged shooter which hasn’t changed to date. “…I gave them all that description on the second day. That description has never changed. That’s total rubbish,” O’Toole had said.

Kingston told Stabroek News that from the inception, investigators have worked on “every bit of information” that was provided to them by O’Toole.

He said the police even sought international assistance in the matter.

Django

Image may contain: one or more peopleImage may contain: one or more people

https://www.facebook.com/actionnewsguyana/

YOUTH TORTURED BY POLICE RANKS

- BURNT ABOUT HIS BODY WITH HOT WATER

The victim has been identified as 17 year old Ashkay Budhiram of La Parfaite Harmonie, WBD , Region 3. He was reportedly abducted by the Cops and tortured on Monday after they accused him of breaking into their home.

The lad said a kettle was used to pour hot water on him, while a cloth was placed over his mouth to keep him silent as they also beat him with a leather belt for over an hour.

The Guyana Police Force has launched an investigation.

Images/Excerpts: Kaieteur News

Django
skeldon_man posted:

Only in Guyana is this possible. We have an idiot for a security minister and a Mugabe for president.

Your dislike for who is in power will stray you from making a valid point of the issue before you.  

FM
Django posted:
Baseman posted:

Why you posting all the articles?  We know what happened!

What's your opinion and position?

The two police officers involved ,should be prosecuted.

Well, captain obvious, we didn't need all them cut-and-paste to figure that!

Baseman
Nehru posted:

The burning I do not agree with BUt the beating, slapping he deserve it!!

Now, that's a bit more nuanced!

This reflects a frustration in the general society with crime.  Just imagine the boldness of committing this against known police officers!  What apprehensions would he have about Joe-public?

That being said, he should be prosecuted the legal way!

Baseman
Baseman posted:
Django posted:
Baseman posted:

Why you posting all the articles?  We know what happened!

What's your opinion and position?

The two police officers involved ,should be prosecuted.

Well, captain obvious, we didn't need all them cut-and-paste to figure that!

Sometimes you seem to have a tap daag attitude , you asked my opinion and position which i gave an answer. The images was posted to show the brutality of the two policemen.

Django
Django posted:
Baseman posted:
Django posted:
Baseman posted:

Why you posting all the articles?  We know what happened!

What's your opinion and position?

The two police officers involved ,should be prosecuted.

Well, captain obvious, we didn't need all them cut-and-paste to figure that!

Sometimes you seem to have a tap daag attitude , you asked my opinion and position which i gave an answer. The images was posted to show the brutality of the two policemen.

Banna, it reflects more than police attitude!  I would have expected a bit more.  It happened to be police, but everyone frustrated with crime.  Even the police are now victims!

I would have thought you had more to say!

Baseman

I agree, its inhumane regardless if guilty. Had this happened as he was in the process of carrying out the crime that's one thing but to go to a house, drag someone out, take them to yours to do this, doesn't go well, especially if he  might not be the guilty party.

cain
cain posted:

I agree, its inhumane regardless if guilty. Had this happened as he was in the process of carrying out the crime that's one thing but to go to a house, drag someone out, take them to yours to do this, doesn't go well, especially if he  might not be the guilty party.

Frustration and a feeling of helplessness causes people to do such things!

This is why we had the Phantoms!

But I agree, rule of law must prevail!

Baseman
Prince posted:
skeldon_man posted:

Only in Guyana is this possible. We have an idiot for a security minister and a Mugabe for president.

Your dislike for who is in power will stray you from making a valid point of the issue before you.  

Regardless of who is in power. When you held the reigns for so long and the situation does not improve, it's time to get the jackass out. Like a Trump MAGA follower, you are an "easily fooled idiot". Anyway, this comment coming from you is just another one of your hogwash nonsense.

FM

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