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French citizen claims cop strip-searched him at Outpost
Guyana-born French citizen Benn Kenneth Anthony says that he was humiliated and horrified when a local police rank performed a body cavity search on him.
Benn Kenneth Anthony
Anthony claims that he was ordered by a plainclothes policeman to remove his underwear and perform squats during an immigration search at Moleson Creek.
According to him, this happened on November 20, while he was making his way to board the ferry to Suriname en route to French Guiana, where he has been living for two decades.
The 22-year-old man said he reported the matter to the Moleson Creek Police Station.
Anthony recalled that he was taken into an area where he was ordered by the rank to empty his suitcase.
“He didn’t even identify himself to me. But I could recognize him if I see him again. He just lifted up the suitcase and turned it over. When he finished searching the suitcase he asked me if I was ever charged for any offence.”
The man said he replied in the negative and told the rank he came to Guyana to visit his grandmother.
He said the rank patted him down and insisted that he remove his pants and underwear. “He asked me to pull down my pants and I removed it up to my knees. Then he told me to take off my brief (underwear).” He related that he complied with the instructions and was then told to squat twice before given permission to repack his suitcase and leave.
“He found nothing illegal on me,” Anthony stressed.
He said he is still trying to come to grips with what happened.
“I have travelled all over the world and this has never happened to me. Is this something normal for immigration in Guyana? I felt very uncomfortable with him (the rank) in that room.”
“I’m not looking for a problem with police in Guyana. I just want them to stop doing this.”
Anthony added that he is sure other passengers have been subjected to this kind of search and is calling on them to speak out.
“I’m trying to highlight this. I want that rank to be disciplined.”
Anthony stated that when he visited the Police Outpost to report the matter, another rank told him that he could not deal with the matter because the rank who strip-searched him is his superior.
Nevertheless, he stated that a police constable took a statement from him after being instructed by another senior rank, and promised to give him an update on investigations, when he returned to Guyana.
“I come back on December 7 and I see them (the rank that searched him and the constable that took the statement). They both walked past me.”
A copy of the one-page statement dated November 20, 2016 – with the police rank’s regulation number – was seen by Kaieteur News.
“He (the constable) ain’t even sign the statement. He just put he regulation number. I don’t even think that is he regulation number. I don’t even think this statement valid.”
Anthony plans on reporting the incident to the Police Complaints Authority today. He says if a probe is not launched into the matter he will consider taking legal action against the State.
Anthony, who is still in Guyana, has already sought advice from a local attorney. He has also sent a letter detailing what transpired, along with a copy of the statement, to the Ministry of Justice in French Guiana.
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