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Ant nest victim feels cheated by police delay
-”By de time dem ready fuh call me, I might done forget me children. I gun can’t really say who do it, and it look like is that they want”
Mitchell Thomas
A Wakenaam farmhand, who was placed in an ant nest by members of the Joint Services during a raid on the island almost two months ago, is of the opinion that the authorities are willfully delaying the investigations into his allegations.
Mitchell Thomas believes that by the time investigators are ready to have him identify the perpetrators of the heinous act, he will not be able to recognize them.
“By de time dem ready fuh call me, I might done forget me children. I gun can’t really say who do it, and it look like is that they want,” Thomas told this newspaper yesterday.
Thomas was beaten and placed to lie in an ant nest for almost 30 minutes, which resulted in him sustaining severe bruises to his back and other parts of his body.
Three days after the incident, the police took a statement from Thomas who had traveled from Wakenaam to the Criminal Investigations Department at Eve Leary, at the expense of this newspaper, which had highlighted the alleged torture.
Another youth, who was made to crawl on the road while ranks put pieces of wood on his back and stood on him, had also given a statement to the police.
The police had promised to recall Thomas to facilitate the identification of the ranks who were responsible for the acts but they have so far shown no indication of doing so.
President Bharrat Jagdeo at a press conference almost a month ago had told the media that he was expecting a report on the matter but it is still unclear if that report has been submitted.
The opposition People’s National Congress Reform had voiced concern about the investigative process as it relates to the incident and had urged that no delaying tactics be employed.
However, from all indications, this is exactly what is transpiring.
In an interview with this newspaper Thomas said that he is still feeling a pain in the area of his left rib and he has been unable to work effectively since the incident.
“Right now I can’t wuk after the beating. I left handed and de pain on de left side and I can’t put strain pon it. I gat a daughter who sick and deh in hospital fuh four days and I could only wuk fuh one hour just fuh mek lil money fuh eat,” said Thomas, who has a wife and four children to maintain.
He said that he tries to forget the incident but every time he thinks about being unable to work, the memories come flooding back.
“I used to wuk fuh a daily bread but this thing end all of dat,” he lamented.
The farmhand told this newspaper that he remembers one of the ranks with a red t-shirt and plaited hair.
But the Police Commissioner, Henry Greene had told the media that he is unaware that any of the ranks who went on the raid fitted that description.
“By now he must be done cut he hair. When you looking fuh a plait hair man, he done now gat short hair,” Thomas told this newspaper.
Kaieteur News has been trying to solicit updates from the authorities but every time the response has been the usual: ‘the matter is being investigated’.
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