Tortured teen refuses to ID cops without his lawyer

Nov 17, 2009 News

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The mother of the tortured 14-year-old boy yesterday alleged that an anonymous caller is trying to deter the lad from identifying the policemen who injured him.

The boy turned 15 on Saturday.

Ms. Shirley Thomas said she received the call around 06:00 hrs yesterday, just a few hours before her son was scheduled to attend an identification parade at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary.

The identification parade was postponed after the boy’s stepfather, Doodnauth Jaikarran, refused to let his stepson participate in the exercise without his lawyer being present.

Ms. Thomas said that the female caller, who repeatedly refused to identify herself, contacted her on her mobile phone from a blocked number.

According to Ms. Thomas, the woman claimed that she had acquired her number “from bigger people,” and knew that her son was to be taken later in the day to try to point out the policemen.

“She said that she hear that my son going for an identification parade today (yesterday).

“She said ‘tell your son not to identify the police. Let him say that he don’t know them.’

“She was trying to tell me that what happen to my son done happen. She tell me talk to my son and see if they could settle things. I say I can’t do nothing like that.”

According to the teen’s mother, the anonymous caller also said that the mother of one of the accused policemen was sick, and expressed concern about who would take care of the man’s mother if her son was kicked out of the force.

She said that in later days “we might get into police trouble and the police would not want to help.”

The woman has allegedly promised to keep in contact with Ms. Thomas.

The lad’s parents said that they were puzzled that the caller knew about the identification parade, since, according to them, they had told no one about this development.

They also expressed concern for the injured lad’s safety, but said that they will not be deterred from having him identify and testify against the rouge policemen.

More controversy followed after the lad and his stepfather, Doodnauth Jaikarran, were escorted by police to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) in preparation for the identification parade.

However, Mr. Jaikarran then declined to let the lad go through with the exercise, since their attorney, Khemraj Ramjattan, was not present.

Ramjattan is currently out of the jurisdiction but left another lawyer, Neil Parshram, to overlook the teen’s interest.

However, the lad’s stepfather said that attorney-at-law Parshram was also not present at the time.

He alleged that he and his stepson were then ordered out of the police vehicle and told to make their way back home.

Later in the day, the attorney who is looking after the teen’s interest in Ramjattan’s absence said that police officials said he would be informed when the ID parade would be held.

The lad indicated to Kaieteur News yesterday that he is willing to point out the policemen who are responsible for his injuries since he wants justice.

In a statement issued yesterday, police officials said that the Force was concerned that efforts are apparently being made to stymie the expeditious conclusion of the investigations.”

According to the statement, the teen’s parents were contacted and all arrangements were put in place for an identification parade using the one-way mirror to be held yesterday at 10:30hrs at the CID Headquarters, Eve Leary.

“The Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Department arranged transportation for the victim accompanied by his stepfather, Doodnauth Jaikarran, to travel to the OPR Department at Eve Leary, and to wait in the area until they were ready.

Subsequently, just as they were about to leave for CID Headquarters, Mark Benschop arrived at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, and requested to see Assistant Commissioner H. Mackhanlall of the OPR Department. He inquired about the status of the victim and was told that he was there for an Identification Parade.

“Benschop then responded by saying that he was representing the victim in the absence of his lawyer, who was overseas and that the boy should not attend the Identification Parade in the absence of his lawyer.

“He was then told by Mackhanlall that there would be no further discussions with him and he left the building.”

“Having left the OPR office, Mark Benschop spoke briefly to the victim’s stepfather and left the compound.

“The stepfather of the victim then told Mr. Mackhanlall that his stepson would not attend the Identification Parade without his lawyer Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan being present.

“He refused for his stepson to go on the Identification Parade as arranged for today and requested that it be held upon the availability of his lawyer Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan at some unknown date.

The Force wishes to express concern that efforts are apparently being made to stymie the expeditious conclusion of the investigations into this matter.”

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