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Death of Mahdia bus driver…Cop was drinking with victim minutes before accidentally shooting him
The police sergeant who accidentally shot and killed Mahdia bus driver Cleon Gomes last Thursday was drinking with Gomes and others minutes before the tragedy.
This is what a special investigative team has reportedly gleaned from the rank and others who were present.
The sergeant remains under close arrest in Georgetown, while the miner who was involved in the altercation is in custody.
Kaieteur News understands that senior officials have dispatched a team from the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) to Mahdia. A report is also to be sent to the Police Complaints Authority.
Cleon Gomes
According to police officials, the police sergeant said that he was drinking with Gomes and other bus drivers last Thursday when a miner and Gomes got into an altercation.
He alleged that the miner was about to chop Gomes with a cutlass when he opened fire to wound the attacker.
Unfortunately, he shot Gomes instead, the policeman said.
From reports reaching Kaieteur News, the rank was not subjected to a medical examination to ascertain how much alcohol he had consumed.
Sources said that the detained miner claimed that he was armed with a length of wood, rather than a cutlass, during the altercation with Gomes.
Investigators reportedly have no evidence to support the policeman’s claim that the miner had a cutlass.
Police are preparing to question several other witnesses.
A police release had stated that 36-year-old Cleon Gomes, of 111 Miles, Mahdia, Region 8, was shot to his left shoulder by a member of the Guyana Police Force.
At the time, Gomes was engaged in an altercation with a 25-year-old miner at the No. 72 Bus Park.
According to the release, the miner allegedly armed himself with a cutlass and began to attack Gomes.
“He was warned repeatedly by a Police Sergeant who was armed with a service pistol, but he continued…the rank reportedly discharged a round and the victim (Gomes) was struck instead.”
The body is at the Lyken Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reportedly on Friday that Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence travelled to Mahdia to meet with Gomes’ relatives and the staff of the Mahdia Hospital.
The DPI release stated that after he was shot in the shoulder, Gomes was rushed to the hospital and doctors and staff “followed procedures to stabilize the patient.”
It was determined that Gomes required surgery and a medical evacuation was requested.
“However, clearance was not given for an aircraft to fly into the region due to the topography and location of the Mahdia airstrip. Unfortunately, Gomes succumbed to his injury,”
The release added that on hearing of his demise, “family members and other residents broke some of the hospital windows and verbally accosted the staff.”
“During her meeting with the relatives, Minister Lawrence clarified the reason why the medivac was unable to respond.
She explained that by the time clearance was given for the medivac to occur, pilots were unavailable to fly in. As is customary, two pilots are needed for a medical evacuation to take place at nights.
“We cannot have a tired pilot flying, that is a risk,” the Health Minister explained. She was supported by Army Officer, Dr. Nigel Langhorne, who is the point person to the MoPH, in situations like this.
She also explained to the relatives that they were never denied the right to see the patient but that “it was a critical case and the medical staff needed to be allowed to do their job.”
The Minister also met with the Mahdia Hospital staffers to commended them for carrying out their duties despite the unfortunate incident.
“Permanent Secretary, MoPH Colette Adams, who accompanied the minister, noted that the ministry has already been identifying any gaps in the service provided by the health facility and is seeking to address them.
Among these is the construction of a new hospital where an operating theatre can be housed to deal with emergency cases. This should reduce the need for medical evacuations.
The DPI also stated that Minister Lawrence assured the relatives that a full investigation will be conducted.
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