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Alleged police brutality…Attorney confirms victim’s father collected $100,000 from police
– Commissioner must answer for his ranks’ misconduct – Rohee
Investigators from the Office of the Professional Responsibility (OPR) yesterday took a detailed statement from Junior Thornton who was burnt on both hands, allegedly by lawmen at the Sparendaam Police Station, two Tuesdays ago.
Comm. of Police (ag) Seelall Persaud
The statements were taken at the burn care unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation in the presence of Thornton’s attorney, Dexter Todd.
The investigation was launched after Thornton’s relatives took the case to the Police Complaints Authority on Monday, one week after the alleged incident.
After giving his statement yesterday, the 19-year old Thornton told reporters, who had gathered at the hospital, that he was in the Sparendaam lock-ups for 72 hours (3 days) and during that period ranks there soaked his hands in methylated spirits and then set it afire.
“The police lock me up and take me to the station and burnt my hands very badly as you can see.”
His interview with the reporters was abruptly ended by a nurse, just as he was about to provide further details of his treatment at the hands of the police.
Kaieteur News understands that after his release from police custody last week Tuesday, Thornton’s relatives observed the injuries to his hands and they went to the Sparendaam Police station, seeking answers. However for some strange reason, they did not immediately pursue the matter.
There are reports that an attempt was made by the police ranks involved to compensate Thornton for his injuries, by offering his father $100,000.
But when questioned about this, Attorney at law Todd told reporters, “I believe that the $100,000, based on my instructions, was given to assist him with his transportation, and not as one to not allow the course of justice to take its rightful course and
Junior Thornton continues to receive treatment for the burns on both of his hands.
for the police to investigate this matter, so I don’t know of that.”
The fact that the incident comes in the wake of a few other damning allegations of police brutality which has caused great embarrassment to the force did not escape the attorney.
Todd, a former police officer, is also playing an integral part in the matter involving now 16-year-old Alex Griffith who had a gun placed into his mouth by a police cadet officer who then pulled the trigger sending a bullet though the back of his head, behind his ear.
“This is definitely not becoming of the Guyana Police Force…a few weeks ago we had a young 15-year-old who was shot in his mouth, now we have another teenager, 19 years old, with both hands burnt…Somebody has to account.”
This newspaper contacted Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee yesterday and he offered this comment: “The Minister of Home Affairs has never issued any instructions or directives to the Commissioner of Police or his ranks to carry out such acts. The ranks are answerable therefore to the Commissioner; they must answer to him for their misbehaviour which is bringing the Force into disrepute. The Commissioner must tell the public what are his findings of the investigations he has ordered. The Ministry of Home Affairs has no policy to carry out torture against anybody.”
Speaking to the way forward, attorney Todd said that they are going to give the police an opportunity to conduct their probe, since an investigation into the matter has been initiated by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
“They are going to take statements today (yesterday) and we believe that they are going to be given an opportunity to do a fair investigation so that justice can be served in this matter.”
The attorney is hopeful that the investigation that the OPR is currently undertaking would be concluded in no
Attorney at law Dexter Todd (right) accompanies investigators from the police OPR to the GPHC’s Burn Care Unit to take a statement from the injured youth yesterday.
longer than one month.
So far this newspaper understands that no one has been placed under close arrest, since according to a senior police source, Thornton has not yet identified any rank who inflicted the alleged burning.
“He is still in hospital and his identification of the rank who allegedly did it is very important,” the source told this newspaper.
Meanwhile, with respect to the case of 16-year-old Alex Griffith, Todd said that he is expecting that charges will be laid against the Police Cadet Officer no later than this weekend.
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