Cops accused of extorting late K News staffer…OPR recommends criminal charges but file is misplaced

Feb 16, 2017 News

A file where the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) recommended criminal charges against five ranks who extorted money from a Kaieteur News staffer back in August, has disappeared.

Dead: Harry Brijmohan

The victim, Harry Brijmohan died in an accident on November 18, last, at Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD) while heading home on his motorcycle.
A month before Brijmohan died, head of OPR, Heeralall Mackhanlall, had indicated that the file was sent to Hugh Jessemy who was the acting Crime Chief at the time but was then forwarded to Wendell Blanhum.
Yesterday, this newspaper was informed that the file cannot be located and it is suspected that after Brijmohan’s demise, it was deliberately removed from the system.
Around 15:20 hours on August 17, last, Harry Brijmohan was reportedly stopped by five policemen after he was caught riding his motorcycle without a helmet.
The ranks searched him, demanded his documents and then informed him that they had to charge him and place him before the court, despite his offence being a ticketed one. He was told that he could have only made a phone call after 72 hours.
”One of them tell me that I should have ride away, that his gun rusty because long he ain’t use it.”
The Kaieteur News staffer was only allowed to continue his journey home when the policemen demanded that he gave them $5000.
When Brijmohan’s experience with the lawmen made the news and OPR launched an investigation, the five policemen in question all denied ever seeing or stopping the motorcyclist—although they admitted that they were indeed patrolling in the area on that day.
However, video footage later surfaced—contradicting the denial by the cops.
The footage showed the staffer, Harry Brijmohan, sitting in the tray of an unmarked vehicle with his motorcycle, as it drove west along the road that leads to Providence New Scheme, East Bank Demerara, between 15:20hours and 15:35 hrs.
The footage was handed over to the detectives who were working on the case.
Before Brijmohan died, he made contact with ranks investigating the case almost daily but never got any positive response.
It has now been months and no one has been charged even as senior police officials boast about firing corrupted ranks.

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