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Senior Counsel denied access to client detained for four days
Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos
Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos is to advise his client, Deonarine Raffi, to file charges of grievous bodily harm against the Guyana Police Force for his alleged beating while in custody.
Raffi, 28, of Lot 17 North Section, Canal Number Two, was charged yesterday for the murder of
former Region Three Vice Chairman, Ramnauth Bisram.
The accused bore visible injuries to his head and back when he appeared in the Wales Magistrates Court. Raffi also alleged that interrogating ranks, whom he identified by name, burnt him in the mouth with a cigarette.
“I am prepared to advise my client to file criminal charges for grievous bodily harm and to file a writ claiming damages,” De Santos told Kaieteur News yesterday.
“I will also file a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority.”
Mr. De Santos, a former Attorney General, also said that any statement that police claim they obtained from his client “will receive the strongest challenge from me.”
Raffi was taken into custody on Monday, and he retained De Santos as his attorney on Thursday, and the attorney alleged that police officers repeatedly prevented him from seeing his client. According to De Santos, he immediately tried to contact the investigating ranks, but was told that the police “were still investigating.”
The veteran attorney said that on Thursday, he sent his wife, attorney-at-law Pamela De Santos, to the Leonora Police Station where Raffi was incarcerated.
“She got there at 11:00 hrs, and she remained there until 14:00 hrs, and she was told that she would not be allowed to see her client.”
Mr. De Santos said that he decided to go to the station himself and arrived there around 17:00 hrs.
According to him, he spoke to a senior rank who assured the attorney that he was going out and would return, but never did.
De Santos added that efforts to contact Police Commissioner Henry Greene were unsuccessful and the attorney eventually left without seeing his client.
According to De Santos, he contacted a senior rank yesterday and was told that his client was appearing in court.
He told Kaieteur News that persons near the Leonora Police Station had reported hearing screams emanating from the lockups, and he had suspected that his client was beaten in police custody.
He said that his wife, who was in court with Raffi, confirmed that their client had visible injuries.
“I am calling on the Commissioner of Police to launch an investigation. These people are animals; they are substituting brawn for brain.”
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