Two cops to face manslaughter charges

Dec 31, 2012 News

Dameon Belgrave killing…

– one accused rank goes missing

Two police ranks are likely to appear in court today on manslaughter charges related to the October 7 shooting death of 21-year-old Dameon Belgrave.
But there are reports that one of the ranks has gone missing.
The decision was made late last week after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) returned the file to the police after clearing up some queries related to the identity of the rank who fired the fatal shot.

Dameon Belgrave

Both ranks are from the Tactical Services Unit (TSU). One of the policemen is a corporal while the other is a constable. Both men have similar surnames.
Kaieteur News understands that police investigators have been unable to locate the corporal, who failed to turn up for work yesterday. An official said that investigators also failed to locate the policeman after checking at his home.
His apparent disappearance is similar to the scenario in which two police ranks disappeared shortly before they were charged with the shooting death of 17-year-old Agricola resident Shaquille Grant, who was shot dead last September in Agricola.
Belgrave was accidentally shot by TSU ranks who were pursuing the occupants of a vehicle in the vicinity of the White Castle Fish Shop in Hadfield Street. He would have celebrated his 22nd birthday the following day.
One bullet struck the 21-year-old and exited his body. Of the three police ranks that were at the scene, two were armed with assault rifles, while the third had a 9mm pistol.
The policeman with the pistol and one of the ranks who had an assault rifle admitted to discharging their firearms. However, none of the two ranks admitted to firing directly at Belgrave.
While one rank claimed that he shot in the air, the other said he accidentally discharged his weapon.
Kaieteur News understands that forensic pathologist Dr. Vivekanand Bridgemohan indicated that Belgrave was shot with a high-powered weapon.