Linden Commission of Inquiry…Entry falsified in arms book for shotgun

Oct 25, 2012 News

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By Latoya Giles
Police Constable Colin Rodney yesterday testified that he collected his weapon, a “12 gauge shotgun”, on July 17, and never returned it until five days later.
However, police records which were brought to the inquiry showed that the weapon was returned on July 18. Rodney denied ever handing it back on July 18, stating that he has no knowledge of who signed in the registry that the weapon was lodged.
The officer also told the commission that he did not know what type of ammunition he would have been given for his shotgun to go to the Mackenzie Bridge on July 18. Rodney said that he knew what calibre it was but not the type.
These admissions came out after Rodney was asked a series of questions by Attorney at law Nigel Hughes.
Rodney told the commission that he is currently stationed at the Mackenzie Police Station and he is part of Linden anti-crime unit.  Rodney recounted that the protestors remained on the bridge after hearing orders on the loudhailer from ASP Patrick Todd.
Soon after, he said that they started to fire several tear smoke canisters in the direction of the protestors. He said that the protestors on the bridge started to throw bottles, stones and other things at the police. Rodney said that Todd continued to fire tear smoke as the ranks moved closer to protestors on the bridge.
According to the witness tear gas was fired about ten times by ASP Todd.  Rodney said that the riot unit moved closer to the bridge with the anti-crime unit from Linden closely behind. “Todd and other officers removed obstacles which included tarpaulins, logs and scrap metal that were erected on the bridge and I heard explosions but I can’t say if they were gunshots” Rodney stated.
He added that it was Sergeant English who later informed him that protestors were vandalizing and trying to set fire to the Guyana Revenue Authority building.  Rodney said that there were about 70 protestors who were breaking windows and trying to access the building.
He said that a small fire was started and it was English who ordered another officer to release tear smoke into the crowd that had  started to pelt bottles and other items at them. Rodney told the commission that he was later ordered to discharge a round into the air, which he did.
While at GRA and the Linmine Secretariat he said he saw fire but protestors blocked the fire tender and he discharged a round on English’s orders. Rodney further stated that they received another call that the PPP building was under attack by protestors.
The witness said that he and officers then went to PPP regional building, where he saw about 200 protestors. Rodney said that the persons were in and out of the building. The witness said that the protestors threw bottles and other items at them after a tear gas was discharged.
Under cross examination, the witness was asked how officers would normally store the cartridges. According to the witness officers would store the cartridges on their person. He was asked if his weapon which he uplifted was loaded when he arrived at the scene, Rodney said no. According to the witness, he loaded his weapon some time after noon on July 18, and it was only because he felt threatened by the protestors.
The witness said that he loaded one casing of pellets into his shotgun.
He was asked if he received any instructions to do so, and answered in the negative. He also admitted that no other officer did the same, nor did he tell any officer that he felt threatened. The witness was then asked if he handed over his weapon for ballistics testing.
He said that he gave the weapon to English some days later. Rodney also disclosed that his hands were never dusted as part of the investigation. He also noted that he handed the weapon back to the McKenzie police station, but he did not collect the spent shells. He was asked by Hughes if that was normal and he said that it wasn’t procedure but that the situation warranted it.
Rodney further stated that he did not observe anyone else with shotguns. He believed that he alone was issued with a shotgun. He was asked if he saw anyone throwing missiles, and he said no.
Commissioner KD Knights in questioning the witness sought to ask why Rodney only placed one case of pellets into his shotgun. “You said you were threatened…but you only placed one case if something was to happen. What do you think would happened?” Knights asked. According to the witness he would have been able to change the casing within seconds. The witness admitted to the commissioner that he would have placed himself in danger.
The witness was then showed a video from July 18, which showed that he placed a second casing of pellets into a shotgun. “Mr. Rodney you had earlier stated to the commission that you only placed one case of pellets, but the video shows different.” The witness admitted that he was incorrect in this regard.
He was then asked if he knew the difference between “00” double buckshot, 04 or 06 cartridges. According to Rodney he did not know the difference. The witness was asked if there was the possibility that he uplifted various cartridges and he answered in the affirmative.

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