Commissioner accused of rape… Felix calls for Greene to do the “Honourable thing” and resign

Dec 16, 2011 News

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-Top Cop was implicated in similar allegations in 1978, 1994

Winston Felix, the immediate predecessor to the current Commissioner of Police Henry Greene says that the incumbent Top Cop should forthwith do the “Honourable thing,” and tender his resignation in the face of the damning allegations against him.
Felix, whose term of Office as Top Cop ended in 2006, before Greene took the helm of the Force, said that the implicated Commissioner is no stranger to troubles of a similar nature.
While not delving into details, Felix told media operatives at A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) press briefing yesterday that the present Commissioner had been implicated in a similar allegation in 1978 and again in 1994 with the latter being of a more violent nature.
Felix told media operatives that Greene knows “what behavior is expected of him,” since he himself has been interdicting ranks for similar and lesser breaches.”
Felix explained that the Police Force has procedures for dealing with misconduct of its ranks.
In relation to Greene himself, Felix told media operatives that, “one would expected that the decision on the way forward will be taken by those above him.”
He drew reference to an incident that involved him during his tenure as Commissioner where he was immediately requested by the Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, to provide answers as to certain allegations.
Felix challenged the Prime Minister in the court but left office a few months later when his retirement was due.
In re-enforcing his conviction that Greene should tender his resignation, Felix added, “I do not think that the current Commissioner is a stranger to being in hot water…I can recall a similar incident in 1974 (which he later corrected to 1978)…I recall another incident at the Officer’s Mess in 1994…and here again there is another very distasteful incident.”
Felix opined that the current Commissioner of Police has “one Honourable course of action to take and to do anything otherwise would be to force the hands of his superiors.”
When contacted, Greene told this publication that Felix, firstly has no credibility to be calling for his resignation.
Greene speaking to the 1994 incident said the accuser did not provide any evidence and the investigation found the allegations to be baseless.
He explained that during the course of that investigation the person declined to proceed with the matter.
“Why would an innocent young woman come to the public and make an allegation of that sort,” Felix asked.
He also took a swipe at the women rights group, saying that while women’s issues in the current day and age are taken very seriously, he is yet to see any of the local organs come forward.
Whilst repeating that he was unaware of all of the details and facts surrounding the current allegation, Felix said that in1978 the nature of the allegations was similar to the current one facing Greene while “the one in 1994 was more about violence.”
The 1994 incident, according to Felix, had involved another member of the Guyana Police Force.
Speaking to the course of action in relation to a police investigation, given that any ranks conducting the investigation would be Greene’s current juniors, Felix said that at present interdiction is moot until a formal charged is proffered.
He suggested that a wider body outside of the organization, supervising very senior ranks undertaking such an investigation, should be able to provide some measure of confidence in such a probe.
This course of action according to Felix is easy to organize while re-emphasizing that it would not be easy for an investigation to be conducted while Greene is still holding office.
The woman behind the present allegations against Commissioner Greene has given police a detailed statement.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud dismissed any suggestion that the top cop had in any way influenced the investigations.
He said that the Commissioner has not given any instructions regarding the investigation.
“Standard operational procedures are being followed. No, we haven’t approached the Commissioner for a statement as yet. We have to do a number of things in relation to the statement that the woman gave,” the Crime Chief told Kaieteur News.
The 34-year old mother of two is accusing Greene of raping her after she had sought his assistance in a matter for which she is being investigated by the police.
Greene faces a possible life sentence if found guilty under the new Sexual Offences Act which was recently enacted.
The call by the Former Commissioner of Police for him to step down, comes mere hours after both of the leaders of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman and Khemraj Ramjattan called for the immediate removal of Greene, from office.
Ramjattan told media that they view the allegation as a very serious one and there appears to be some cogency in the woman’s account of what transpired between her and the Commissioner.
He said that it is very important to note that Commissioner Greene has not denied having sex with the woman at the heart of the allegation.
“The AFC is saying that there must be some very intense investigation into this matter,” said Ramjattan.
Ramjattan, a lawyer by profession, was of the opinion that the case will represent a big test for the Guyana Police Force and its commitment to the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act.
Trotman in adding his sentiments to the now topical issue said that the matter is the first real test for Head of State Donald Ramotar as President.
“Is he President or is he a weakling?” asked Trotman, adding that if nothing happens, it would impact heavily on the Head of State.
In what is being described in some circles as the scandal of the year, a woman who hails from the East Coast of Demerara on Tuesday alleged to police at the Brickdam Station that she was sexually assaulted by Greene earlier this month at a city location. She was accompanied by her lawyer, Nigel Hughes.
Greene has since dismissed the woman’s claims as mere allegations and has vowed to clear his name.

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