Grandmother wants Minister Ramjattan to investigate Springlands’ savage beating

Dec 01, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I am a senior citizen of Corriverton and I am very troubled and disgusted by the actions of a certain police officer (name supplied) of Springlands Police Station who instead of serving and protecting citizens, chose to violate the human rights of my grandson, Andrew Lewis, a decent, law abiding citizen.
After his rogue behaviour was reported, the officer now stalks him at nights with a gray car and quite recently with a white hire car (license supplied)On Friday, September 11, 2015, around 23:50 hours,  this police officer attacked, kidnapped, brutalised, traumatised, humiliated, wrongfully arrested and threatened to kill my 23 years old grandson, an electrician of Skeldon Estate.
Andrew left his residence early Friday morning to reach at work at Skeldon Estate for 07:00 hours and he finished working at 20:00 hours that evening. He then stopped over at my residence at Princetown, a home he grew up in, to use the wifi internet service. This is a usual practice for him since there is no telephone service in # 76 Housing Scheme. The policeman and his accomplices were in a gray car that was driven by one of the policemen. At the time, Andrew was riding his bicycle to his residence in the new # 76 Housing Scheme. There is no street light in the scheme.
When he was almost home, a dark gray car suddenly drove by and blocked the entrance to his street. The occupants of the car came out and this particular policeman ordered him to come off his bicycle. He thought they were bandits because he had never seen any of them before. The officer was very aggressive and pushed his hands into Andrew’s pocket and took his wage which he had withdrew from the bank.
He seized his haversack which had in it his green GUYSUCO overhaul. He also took his chain and cell phone and placed his bicycle in the car trunk.  He ordered Andrew to go into the car and he threatened to kill him and informed him that he,had killed before.While in the gray car, he began to cuff Andrew in the head and behind the neck repeatedly. He also cursed him as he brutalised him and continued with his threat to kill him.
At that stage, he accused him that he had just ‘break and enter’ his house. They then drove him further into #76 Housing Scheme and stopped in front of a house and he informed him that he just ‘ break and enter’ that house. They then drove the gray car to Springlands Police Station where he commanded Andrew to strip and remain in his bare brief. He placed him in the cell where he remained for over 12 hours- tired, hungry and thirsty.
Andrew repeatedly asked a constable to telephone his mother at #76 Housing Scheme or his grandmother at Princetown but the constable  completely ignored him throughout the night. (his mother thought he had stayed over at me that night.) My grandson had to drink water from one of the prisoners in the cell. It was only at 10:00 hours on September 12th that a policeman, Laundry informed us that Andrew was in the cell.
When my daughter and I arrived, Policeman Junior George was in the process of taking Andrew’s fingerprints. Rural Constable Tyrell who was with George had earlier accused him of stealing with some man called ‘Bullah’. George resrained my grandson from talking but Andrew revealed that he was attacked and beaten by a particular officer while he was almost home and brought in a gray car and placed in the cell. Tyrell then took him back to the cell.My daughter telephoned the Minister of Public Security who assured her that he would contact the Commissioner.
We then visited attorney an attorney at law who immediately telephoned the Officer in charge of Springlands Police Station, Mr William Henry.We went back to the Springlands Police Station and met Officer Henry who claimed that he had no knowledge of the problem.However, it was until around 11:40 hours, Andrew was taken out of the cell and we were able to give him his first meal of the day. He was very traumatised and could not eat, yet the police chose that moment to take a statement from him. As he related what transpired, he identified his attacker who was walking into the compound. Inspector Playter, Traffic Officer, Beckles and Constable Laundry just looked and remained silent.
We asked to know the identity of the officer but instead of answering, Inspector Playter began to raise his voice to distract, telling us that we have no right to talk at the station.  We later ascertained his name. We asked that Andrew receive medical attention and the police complied. When we arrived at Skeldon Hospital, one of the nurses exclaimed that Andrew was the third person to visit the hospital as a result of police brutality on the night of September 11th. He received tablets from the hospital and was advised to put ice compression at the back of his head.
When the police took him back to the station, Officer Henry had left but he instructed that Officer Laundry should have Andrew to sign a recognizance sheet and should visit the station on Monday, September 14th so that he could speak with him.Further, we took Andrew to Dr. Persaud, a private doctor where he received an injection and tablets and paid a fee of $6000. He had to take seven days’ medical leave, with effect from Saturday, September 12 th.
On September 14th, Officer Henry informed us that he wanted the boy to return in order to know how he was feeling. He disclosed, too, that Officer Browne from Whim Police Station would investigate the issue. Twice Officer Henry fooled us that Inspector Jhagroo will come to investigate. To date, we have not heard anything from the officers of the Guyana Police Force and the oficer has now begun to stalk my grandson at nights.
Thrice he drove his car behind him. He usually changes directions and trails him. This policeman is very dangerous and he is a threat to society. He had professed his notoriety and boasted of being a killer. It seems to me that this officer is above the law. In 2012, his wife, a Customs Officer attacked a pregnant teacher, Miss Carmelita Sooklall at Skeldon Primary. That teacher suffered a miscarriage and nothing came out of that matter. I am calling on Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan to thoroughly investigate this matter because this police officer operates like a seasoned criminal.
Shirley Hooper

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