Citizens complain about police excesses

Feb 09, 2022 News

…Norton to meet Top Cop to seek redress

Kaieteur News – During a series of party outreaches the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), said that it has received numerous complaints by citizens against members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) abusing their power to wrongfully detain persons.
This is according to the Party’s General Secretary, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who on Tuesday participated in a press conference hosted by the PNCR. She explained that during outreaches in Regions Four, Seven and 10, citizens complained bitterly of being wrongfully detained by the Police for 72 hours, without reasonable suspicion of them committing a crime.
“In Bartica, cases have been identified where the police are operating as a law unto themselves. They are violating the rights of the citizens of Bartica by locking them up for 72 hours in cases where the law does not apply,” the former Magistrate argued. In another instance, she said it is alleged that two persons were taken to the Sparendaam police station for wounding each other and while one of the suspects was released, the other was held as the Police indicated it was their prerogative to do so.

PNCR General Secretary, Geeta Chandan-Edmond

According to her, “The family of one of the accused complained that the police set free one of the accused and kept the other in the lock-ups and proceeded to indicate that it was the police prerogative to do so. This is a clear case of police discrimination and abuse of power”. The Shadow Home Affairs Minister went on to state that complaints have also been received that “poor people” were being harassed and incarcerated by the Police at the behest of the “rich and powerful”.
A similar situation she noted was observed in Linden where residents there also complained of discrimination and abuse by Police officers. “Many Lindeners, the PNCR and the wider Guyanese population are concerned that the rule of law is not being upheld and as a nation we are returning to the lawless state of affairs that existed between 1992 and 2015,” Chandan-Edmond noted.
Even more alarming, the party’s General Secretary said that it has been observed that the regions in which the Police abuse is taking place are areas that were won by the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) parties. In this regard, she argued, “If one adds to that, that the installed PPP/C regime has been trumping-up charges and incarcerating their political opponents in total violation of the law, it can be easily concluded that it is the lawlessness that is practiced by the Ali/Jagdeo regime that has created the conditions for the said discrimination and abuse of power”.
Signaling that the PNCR will not sit by idly, she said that a letter has been dispatched to the Commissioner of Police for an urgent meeting to address these concerns. Chandan-Edmond added that it is the administration to be blamed. “We also lay the blame for these indiscretions squarely at the feet of the government which itself has violated the law and created the conditions for the rogue elements in the police force to do the same,” the Shadow Minister of Home Affairs contended. In this regard, she called on the PPP/C to restore the investigative capacity of the criminal investigation department, by returning those who were trained to investigate and solve crimes to the said department. She was adamant that doing otherwise would suggest that the government has little or no interest in solving and reducing crime.
Legal action
While the PNCR is urging persons to seek legal redress for the abuse of power by members of the GPF, the Party said it has noted that many persons are reluctant to do so, due to fear of future or continuous victimization. Meanwhile, the Party Leader, Aubrey Norton pointed out that his political group has been adding more legal persons to its team, which would hopefully build the confidence in citizens to come forward and take legal action against the Police.
On another note, Norton said that the United Nations (UN) guidelines are clear on police engagements and threatened to take the matter for further redress to the international agency if the reports persist. “We also intend to raise it with diplomats because we have seen a situation where the Police (Force) gets assistance for law enforcement and if these societies are committed to democracy then they should be committed to pressuring the government to do the things that are required in keeping with international law,” Norton added.