Do not condemn innocent people because of rank speculation

Nov 04, 2020 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

Kaieteur News – Lawyers would be familiar with the principle of Blackstone ratio. It urges that “All presumptive evidence of felony should be admitted cautiously; for the law holds it better that 10 guilty persons escape than one innocent party suffer.”
It is better for 10 guilty persons to go free than to condemn one innocent man. The Blackstone ratio is about finding a balance between protecting the innocent and condemning the guilty.
Justice involves finding and convicting those guilty of offences. But justice also involves protecting the innocent from being falsely condemned. It is better for 10 guilty persons to go free than to cause one innocent party to suffer.”
In the haste to bring to justice the killers of the Henry boys, let us not condemn innocent persons! Let us not let haste result in innocent persons have to face charges for something they did not do!
Forensic material was gathered from the crime scene. It was sent to St. Lucia and the forensic results gathered during the course of the police investigation have been returned. They do not provide a link between the suspects and the murders.
In the haste for justice, fingers were pointed at certain individuals on account of where the bodies were found and the ethnicity of the suspects. The situation was aggravated because of intemperate statements made by idle politicians who no longer have any credibility. According to reports, one family suffered as a result of this finger pointing. The family related that their tribulations began on the very afternoon that the boys’ bodies were found. Persons began to throw incendiary objects in the home; they had to hire private security to protect them. They have been living in fear and torment ever since. If this family is not linked to the deaths of the boys, then a grave injustice would have been done to them. This is what happens when people are in a mad rush to solve crimes without any regard to unearthing incriminating evidence.
It is understandable that the family will be disappointed with the present state of affairs. But this does not mean that investigative work is not taking place. When it comes to investigating certain crimes, the race is not for the swift. Things take time and who knows, something will break eventually and the killers will be identified both for the Henry boys and for the other youngster who was killed in what may be a retaliation killing.
Despite the disappointment, it is ridiculous, to say the least, to conclude because of the recent developments, the police have failed. The danger with speculation is that it is just that: speculation. It may lead to all manner of unintended consequences, including the targeting of innocent people.
The police are now being made a scapegoat. One assertion is that the offer of a reward constitutes an admission of failure. The offering of rewards does not mean that the police are at their wits end. Now that the forensics are in, the police may be able to look at new angles and new suspects. The offer of a reward may imply that the police are now seeking more human intelligence especially since there is no forensic evidence to link any of the suspects to the crime.
We like to put down our own police investigators. But the fact is that any international team which comes here cannot reinvent the crime scene and obtain new forensic evidence. They will have to rely on the same evidence which was obtained.
This call about bringing in some team from Argentina is just ‘blow-blow’ talk. How will this team get here? There are travel restrictions throughout South America so how will this team be able to reach Guyana in light of the COVID-19 restrictions. And what will they do given that dozens of persons contaminated the crime scene when the bodies were discovered and the villagers blocked access of the forensic investigators during the protests.
Forensics alone do not lead to convictions. Forensics must be complemented by human intelligence and this is what appears to have been lacking all along in this case. All that nonsesense about looking for vehicles which go into the backlands is poppycock. Once the dams are dry, any vehicle can go into the backdam. You do not need any special vehicle to do so.
Perhaps, it is time to reexamine the suspected motives for the killings. Perhaps, it is time to look at other motives and examine whether these deaths are something other than what people presumed they were. The rewards may cause someone to talk something which can be of value to the investigators.
Perhaps, it is time to dispense with the old narrative which could have led to the condemning of innocent persons. Perhaps, it is time to slow down and not hurry anything because in the haste for justice, we may be condemning the innocent.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)