Will there be fair justice for Haresh Singh’s Murder?

Jul 06, 2021 Letters

Dear Editor,

Reference is made to your report on the perversion of justice in the Haresh Singh’s murder indictment (Jul 4, 5). Justice must be served in this matter. Those who perverted justice must be held accountable.

My friend, Nigel Hughes, promised last September justice for the murders of the two Henry cousins and Haresh Singh; the latter was a revenge killing for the former. Some months ago, police arrested and charged suspects for the Henry boys killing. Last week, police arrested and charged four suspects for Singh’s murder. Arrests and indictment for murder of Singh are long overdue.

Unfortunately, Hughes, a well-known lawyer who became very famous for his improvised formula (34 is a majority of 65) is retained as attorney for the suspects. In light of his previous promise for justice for the Singh family, one wonders whether Hughes should have taken this case. How would Hughes ensure that justice be done in the Haresh murder while working on the other hand to free his accused when the police say that they have video-taped admission of guilt by the suspects?

One of the suspects for Singh’s murder was the brother (Gladston) of the murdered Isiah Henry. Another suspect, Anderson, fingered Gladston as the person who brutally murdered Singh to avenge the murder of his brother and cousin. Anderson apologised for the heinous crime.

Police investigations revealed that neither Singh nor any of his family members had anything to do with the murder of the two Henry boys. The two murders sparked protests in the West Berbice village of the two boys. Roads that passed through African villages were blocked over several days when hundreds of Indians were stopped, beaten, and robbed. Indian owned vehicles were set ablaze or destroyed in protests while many Berbicians missed their international flights and had to pay enormous re-booking fees and or purchased new fares. They have not been compensated by the criminals or the state.

Hughes has prepared an alibi for Gladston. But reports say that that alibi story has holes. It is being alleged that the alibi statements contradict information from other witnesses. The police have solid incontrovertible evidence, discrediting the purported alibi position. The story of the alibi witnesses doesn’t add up; some who supported this alibi for Gladston are being charged for lying or perverting the course of justice.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) immediately jumped into the police investigation of the alibi witnesses without first trying to affirm the veracity of their information. GHRA has accused the police of over-reaching when the police have evidence that the witnesses allegedly lied. Why now castigate the police for doing their job when months ago you were demanding justice for the Henrys? I note that GHRA was silent during the five-month period to rig the election. It would also be recalled that GHRA was vocal at the time of the Henry boys murder and worked aggressively to secure a forensic expert from Argentina. Nothing new was revealed from that forensic investigation. GHRA is not pursuing the Singh’s murder investigation with similar zeal. Why this duplicity? With the GHRA’s involvement, one wonders if this matter (regarding Haresh’s murder) will not be politicised as the Henry boys murder! GHRA has gone the extra mile to ensure that the family of the Henry boys got justice. Why don’t they want justice for the Haresh Singh family?

What is paradoxical is that the GHRA remained silent when the APNU+AFC government attempted to rig the 2020 elections that was the biggest human rights violation in the country. Also, why they (GHRA) remain silent on other brutal murders that have been perpetrated on innocent people?

Yours truly,

Vishnu Bisram