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Murder accused now a free man
– charge withdrawn
Freed: Deonarine Rafick
Deonarine Rafick who was charged for the murder of Former Region Three Deputy Chairman, Ramnauth Bisram, has been acquitted.
On Wednesday, at the insistence of his lawyer, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, Rafick walked out of the Camp Street prison just after 17:00 hours a free man.
This was much to the surprise of his relatives.
De Santos told this newspaper that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had ordered Rafick’s release some two weeks ago but yet the young man was only released on Wednesday.
Rafick was charged for murder on October 30 last at the Wales Magistrate’s Court after making an appearance before Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan.
On his initial court appearance his lawyers had brought to the Magistrate’s attention that he was severely beaten by police ranks.
De Santos explained that prior to his client being charged he and Mrs. Pamela De Santos were prevented on several occasions from seeing Rafick. Their numerous attempts to contact the then Commander of the Division Mrs. Paulette Morrison also proved futile.
On Rafick’s initial appearance he indicated to his lawyers that he had a cigarette put out on his tongue by Police Constable Mohanram Dolai and was beaten in the head.
Three ranks have since been charged for felonious wounding and have been released on bail.
Meanwhile De Santos added that he was forced to pen a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions since from what he was told, the only evidence the police had against his client was a confession statement, which was beaten out of him.
De Santos added that it would appear that prior to the charge being laid the police never sent Rafick’s file to the DPP’s office for advice. Nevertheless the charge was instituted.
Once the file was perused by the DPP the charge was immediately withdrawn, and a letter to this effect was sent to the Prison Authority, but Rafick was still not released.
Now that Rafick has been released De Santos said he would be taking legal action against the Attorney General and the three ranks that inflicted the permanent damage on Rafick.
Meanwhile Kaieteur News caught up with Rafick yesterday and the man was still completely traumatized. Fighting to hold back tears, Rafick said he is still fearful for his life and that of his family.
He also claimed that the ranks that beat him also threatened to kill him.
The man’s family is concerned for him since he has not been able to sleep very well and is constantly tormented by flashbacks of his time in prison and the beating he sustained.
Rafick cannot talk of the incident without breaking down.
As such relatives are asking what the force is willing to do to help not only Rafick but the teen who was severely burnt.
“The Commissioner only keeps talking about the rogue elements in the force he has not come out to offer the least of his sympathy to the victims,” one family member stated.
Rafick along with then 14-year-old Tyrone Thomas were picked up by police shortly after Bisram was killed. Both men suffered from beatings while in custody.
Thomas’s relatives were made aware of his condition after Rafick made an appearance at the Wales Magistrate’s Court.
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