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DPP advises…Police officer to be charged for alleged sexual assault of female Constable

Nov 16, 2015 News

The Guyana Police Force is preparing to charge one of its officers who has been accused of sexually assaulting a female Constable.
A senior police official told this newspaper on Friday that Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has received advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge Assistant Superintendent Deneshwar Mahendranauth in connection with the incident that occurred two months ago at Lethem.
The advice comes a two weeks after the Constable’s mother had expressed a lack of confidence in the way the force was handling the matter.
This was after she learnt that the Assistant Superintendent had been elevated to the post of Deputy Commander of the Force’s F Division which covers Lethem.
It is being alleged that ASP Mahendranauth had summoned the Constable to his quarters and made sexual advances to her.
The constable resisted the advances and later reported the matter to her uncle who is also an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
The report was forwarded to Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud who immediately had the ASP removed from the Lethem Police Station and ordered an investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility.
But as the matter dragged on there was a feeling that there were attempts to sweep it under the carpet.
Except for a statement on the matter from Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, many have been silent, including local women’s groups, which have in the past been vigilant against alleged sexual misconduct against females by persons in authority.
The constable’s mother said that she read the initial Kaieteur News’ report about the alleged incident and felt comfortable that something was being done about it. But she had to wait for two months for something to happen.
“I was wondering why it taking so long because I reading about other matters that come up already…. This thing happen in the Guyana Police Force, so if my daughter does not get justice what will the public think about the Force?” she had stated in a recent interview with this newspaper.
With the advice of the DPP, the woman’s confidence in the justice system has been restored.
In fact Minister Ramjattan had said that he will certainly not tolerate such actions from police officers.
“I treat sexual harassment of females very seriously…but I don’t know what the OPR will say,” the Minister had told this newspaper.
He however warned though, that if the Officer in this case is found culpable, he will be making an example of him, stopping short of saying exactly what penalties lie ahead.
Minister Ramjattan, who has already shown an inclination to deal sternly with rogue elements in the Guyana Police Force, has hinted at body cameras for ranks, especially females so that evidence of wrongdoing will be obtained.
“Let us get the evidence,” he said.
“We have a nasty culture in Guyana…and what is happening in our Police Force is a microcosm of our society and male chauvinism is a part of our culture that we have to get rid of,” Ramjattan added.
He lamented the fact that despite increased training, it is still taking quite some amount of time to rid the Force of some unwanted practices.
He said that he will be seeking more training in women leadership especially, so that certain attitudes will be inculcated that will make sexual harassment of females a thing of the past.
“I would like to have some women with attitude like (Minister) Simona Broomes and no man will ever try to mishandle them…that is what I want in the Guyana Police Force,” Minister Ramjattan had stated.
The Public Security Minister said that he will certainly be engaging the Police Service Commission once officers are found culpable of wrongdoing, especially when it comes to harassment of their female colleagues.
A little over two weeks ago, the Director of Prisons Welton Trotz was slapped with a sexual assault charge, prompting Minister of Public Security to send him packing.

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