Corbin's bodyguard released on bail, no formal charges laid

Corbin’s bodyguard released on bail, no formal charges laid

May 17, 2008 News

Shortly after a letter was dispatched by the leader of the main opposition party, Robert Corbin, to Police Commissioner Henry Greene, the police released his bodyguard, Cyrus Boyce, on $15,000 bail.

Boyce was arrested the previous day on a suspicion of murder and robbery under arms.

During a press conference yesterday, Corbin said that the reason for the letter was that he learnt that Boyce was being interrogated by ranks of the Guyana Defence Force about matters concerning the PNCR rather than about the offence that he is alleged to have committed and for which he was arrested.

“This concern arises because of the credible evidence of torture by ranks of the GDF, during which they are alleged to have drugged and beaten persons being interrogated.”

According to Corbin, Boyce was being questioned as to whether he has replaced executed talk show host, Ronald Waddell, as leader of the gangs.

He was also allegedly questioned about why he is often seen in the predominantly African villages along the East Coast. “What his responsibilities were as security detail to Corbin…his knowledge of arms and ammunition owned by the PNCR and where they are hidden” were among the questions.
Corbin also noted that Boyce at no time was given any specific details for his arrest.
Following his release yesterday, Boyce went to the Georgetown Public Hospital given that during his detention he was deprived of treatment for his diabetes.

Boyce has reportedly spoken well of the ranks who questioned him, allaying fears that he might have been tortured during his interrogation.

To date, he has not been formally charged for the offences but will have to report back to the police in the coming week.

Boyce was arrested on Thursday last at his Better Hope residence after some 30 heavily armed members of the Joint Services swooped down on the home, cordoned it off and ostensibly searched for arms and ammunition.
On Thursday no one in the police force could say for which murder or for which robbery Boyce was being held.
That same day, a senior rank had said that after the arrest the rank should have told Boyce for which incidents he was being held.

Recently, the police were detaining people and photographing them with tags that either suggested murder or robbery under arms. None has even been charged but they were all held for at least 36 hours.
The most recent were some farm hands working on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. They were photographed as people being held for murder. They have since been released.

Boyce’s arrest occurred one day after Corbin’s driver, Mark McKenzie, was arrested while driving a vehicle belonging to Corbin.

He was arrested for using a loud hailer to announce the Cost-of-Living march that was scheduled for Thursday.