Am I being targeted?

Jul 03, 2011 Letters

Dear Editor,
On Saturday around 10:05am, I entered a minibus heading to Georgetown with a computer that I repaired for a friend. Just as the bus started to move, it was stopped by a police vehicle with four police officers inside, one whom is a member of the CID that I see occasionally.
Two of them disembarked and came towards the bus and requested that I come out, which I did and they then commanded me to bring the computer with me. I complied and the bus was ordered to carry on.
When the bus left I was lambasted with a barrage of rude questions in an unprofessional manner along with the accusation of the computer being stolen. Amidst the questions and accusations I explained how I came into the possession of the computer and where I was going.
The uniform officers along with the plain clothes CID Officer continued to accuse me of having a stolen computer. After ignoring my explanation, they then demanded that I enter their vehicle and take them to my home which I again complied.
Whist in the vehicle all four of the officers kept accusing me of being a thief and the two sitting on both sides of me started to threaten and hit me in order to make me confess to stealing the computer which I decently denied. I kept trying to explain how I got it and where I was heading with it.
Nearing my house I pointed out to them my wife, my teenager sister-in-law and my two daughters ages 9 months and four-years-old, as they were going out. They called my wife back and questioned her who am I to her and where we lived, what I do for a living, where I was going, to which she told them exactly what I had said. They then asked her for the house keys to search the house and she requested to see the search warrant.
To my astonishment they replied that they don’t have to get a search warrant to search anyone’s house to look for guns and ammunition. My wife still held out that she needed to see a search warrant whilst I was quiet after being threatened. The ranks told her that she was rude and threatened to lock me up for the weekend. I signaled her to comply because I knew I had nothing to hide.
The CID officer entered the house with me and I immediately took him to where I repair computers and showed him some old ones that I have there. He then started to question me of the arrangement I make with people and keeping their computers and I answered him. Satisfied, he ventured downstairs but not before peeking into one of the three rooms and started to questions me about the type of works I did.
He then mentioned that a Station Sergeant of the Leonora was looking for me once in relation to a letter I had written in the press.
Outside of the house I told the officers that they threatened to hit me and one officer (Amerindian) said I could go wherever to whoever I want and he will show me that he’s better than them.
I said that I have to go nowhere and he started to cursed me and threatened to hit me in front of my four-year-old daughter, wife and sister-law and his colleagues’. All the while the CID officer, who I believe is a Sergeant or Corporal, was trying to tell him to behave but he continued along with his threats.
After a few calls from the CID officer, he quieted down and I was asked to uplift my computer from the vehicle, which I did.
Upon their retreat my neighbours came out and enquired what that was all about. I explained and they advised me to make a report and get an audience with the Divisional Commander because it looks as if they are targeting me for my writings. I explained that I have no confidence that making a report will ease the harassment that is being meted to countless innocent people like myself.
Mr. Editor, I have written about the GPF and mentioned incidents which are true, and I believe that their actions are unreasonable.
What happened on Saturday will not deter me from writing against them, it will only make me write more. I am not a criminal, I mix with all kinds of people, I never encourage anyone to do anything bad.
And to stand up and see police officers who are ignorant of the words Polite and Courtesy, using language that they will charge you for and not fit to be used in front of a four year old child and my relatives and family, is sad.
Sahadeo Bates

Latest News

Am I being targeted?

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Windies crumble to spin as Pakistan seize control with 202-run lead...

Ashby, Inverary, Lewis among winners on Friday

Ninvalle and Sports Commission applaud budgetary...

Guyanese Swimming star makes waves at SUNY...

Spartans Dominoes Club/Travis Sargeant tourney on...

Runsfest ends in draw as players await final...

Features/Columnists

Kazakhstan showed that renegotiation is possible

OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus

What objections to renegotiation are all about

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Am I being targeted?

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]