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PNCR activist to sue police over detention

Jan 08, 2010 News

Well known People’s National Congress Reform activist Esther Perreira has commenced legal proceedings against the state for what she deems a violation of her constitutional rights, which stems from her arrest a week ago.
Perreira was arrested by ranks of the Guyana Police Force at her home on December 30 and released six days later without being charged.
Although police claimed that she was being held for robbery under arms, other factors indicate that Perreira was detained after she intervened when she believed that police ranks were attempting to plant incriminating evidence at her son’s home.
The actions of the police have been condemned by the main opposition at a press conference at the party’s headquarters, Congress Place, Sophia yesterday.
The party said the police’s action is a disturbing case of the abuse of Perreira’s constitutional rights.
“While Perreira has already commenced legal proceedings against the state, it is necessary for the PNCR to warn the Commissioner of Police that such behaviour by ranks of the Police Force will not be condoned and will be resisted in 2010,” the main opposition party said.
The PNCR in its New Year Message had commended ranks of the disciplined forces who displayed remarkable courage and exemplary behaviour.
But regrettably, the party noted, it appears that there are still many members of the Guyana Police Force who are determined to undermine the image of the organization.
“The arrest and imprisonment of a woman and a baby at the Wisroc Police Station jail and the detention of Esther Perreira at the East la Penitence Police Station for six days without justification do not augur well for Police/Community relations in 2010 and must be condemned,” the PNCR stated.
According to the main opposition party, Perreira, a well-known PNCR activist, was crudely and vindictively arrested at Sophia, on Wednesday 30 December 2009, after she observed that some police ranks were attempting to plant evidence in the home of her son who lives next door to her.
This was while no one was in the house.
The PNCR said that after intercepting this illegal activity, Perreira was promptly arrested and locked up at the East La Penitence Police Station, allegedly, for the offence of robbery under arms.
The arresting officers disappeared and could not be found for several days and as such the Officer-in-Charge of the station could provide no information to Perreira’s relatives or the lawyer who was eventually retained by the PNCR to represent her interest.
The party said that the woman was eventually released on the afternoon of Monday 4 January 2010 on station bail but, to date, no information on the alleged offence has been filed at the Sophia, Alberttown or the East La Penitence Police Stations.
The PNCR stated that such gross violation of the human rights of citizens, as guaranteed by the constitution of Guyana, will not be condoned and must be exposed.
This newspaper was reliably informed that the entire issue is linked to the police investigations into the late December robbery committed on the staff of Hits and Jams Entertainment group.
A senior police officer when contacted by this newspaper said that the police ranks were acting on information that Perreira’s son is a suspect in the robbery.
The officer claimed that ranks from the Tactical Services Unit swooped down in Sophia at the home of the suspect where they reportedly discovered a motorcycle that was supposedly used in the robbery.
The police are claiming that there was evidence that someone was in the house shortly before they entered since they recovered hot items from a stove.
They are also claiming that Perreira’s arrest was as a result of her disorderly behaviour during the police operation.
Perreira is best remembered for her petition challenging the results of the 1997 General Elections.

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