Latest update February 4th, 2025 5:54 AM
Latest News
Commission of Inquiry…Ranks denied shooting protestors – Top Cop
By Zena Henry
Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell, yesterday testified before the Commission of Inquiry into the Linden shooting that ranks on July 18, last, did not open fire on protestors while at the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge.
He was explaining to Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes who conducted a cross- examination, that according to statements taken from police ranks on the ground on the day in question, none of them related that they shot at Lindeners who were protesting the hike in electricity tariffs.
Commissioner of Police (ag) Leroy Brumell
Brumell told Hughes that he was expecting eyewitnesses to come forward with statements to ascertain what actually took place on the day Shemroy Bouyea, Ron Somerset and Allan Lewis were killed, but to date, none of those eyewitnesses have given statements, thus causing the police investigation file to be incomplete.
Hughes questioned the Top Cop on whether the police statements identified the ranks that fired at protestors, but Brumell again responded in the negative. He said that none of the police statements confirmed which ranks opened fire.
Apart from that, Brumell told Hughes that in the video footage received from Linden, none of the ranks were seen shooting at the protestors.
Hughes later went into a document called “Linden Commission of Inquiry” and asked the Top Cop about police procedure when rendering assistance to injured persons, as he pointed to a specific statement given by one eyewitness, Ron Allicock.
The witness statement said that on the day of the shooting he was carrying an injured man while waving a white T-shirt, indicating that someone was hurt. In relation to the statement, Brumell said that officers are supposed to render assistance.
Hughes accepted Brumell’s answer before telling him that according to the eyewitness, the police, instead of aiding the injured man, refused to take the man to the hospital. Brumell then said he never received any information about the officers’ manner toward the injured man and could not say whether the police action was a neglect of duty.
Later, in the afternoon session, Brumell testified that before the Linden shooting, he had called Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee to tell him that the MacKenzie-Wismar Bridge had not yet been cleared and that the ranks were “doing their best to clear the way”. The Top Cop said he did not convey to the Minister how he intended to clear the Bridge, but had it in mind that “firm words” towards the protestors would have seen them following police orders.
Brumell then said that Senior Superintendent of Police Clifton Hicken called him, and he (Brumell) told his subordinate officer to talk to the people about clearing the bridge, since it was getting dark. Brumell was however adamant that he never ordered anything more than talking to the protestors. He said he gave no instruction for any escalation – above speaking to the protestors on the bridge.
The Top Cop testified that Hicken related that the crowd on the bridge was becoming unmanageable. He said his officer further disclosed that persons started to throw missiles – bottles, stones and other objects.
As the questioning continued, Brumell later claimed that Minister Rohee ordered that Hicken be taken out of Linden since “his name was being called a lot”. Brumell did say that the officer’s name was not being called in relation to the shooting, but persons were saying that Hicken was being hostile.
Brumell later confirmed that indeed persons were speaking of Hicken saying that he was “hot tempered and wild”.
The Police Commissioner later revealed that following the Linden shooting none of his ranks called and informed him about the events. He said it was when a media house called him for a comment on the matter that he was made aware of what transpired. He later called his ranks to confirm the shooting.
When the matter convenes today before Commissioners Justice Lensley Wolfe O.J.; Mr. K.D. Knight S.C; Former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Cecil Kennard, Ms. Dana Seetahal S.C, and former Guyana Court of Appeal Judge, Claudette Singh, officers Clifton Hicken; Commander of A and F Division, Grant and Bowman, are expected to take the witness stand.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The burden of proof rests on the asserting party
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- In recent days there have been serious assertions made and associations implied without... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
