Cop beaters remanded to prison

May 09, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Thirty-year-old Kessee Edwards, a labourer of Lot 62 Friendship, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and former policeman Mark Cromwell, called ‘Diamond/Demon’, a 41-year-old businessman of Lot 40 Vigilance, ECD, the two men who were allegedly caught on camera severely beating a traffic cop, were on Monday charged and remanded to prison.

Remanded: Mark Cromwell, called ‘Diamond/Demon’

Remanded: Kessee Edwards

The defendants appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Rushell Liverpool who read the charges to them.

Edwards and Cromwell are accused of assaulting Constable Harlequin on May 5, 2023 at the Plaisance “Line Top” E.C.D.

Edwards is also facing a battery of other charges including traffic offences. He was charged with the following: assault with intent to prevent lawful apprehension – contrary to Section 57 (b) of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act Chapter 8:0, abusive language – contrary to Section 141(a) of the Summary Jurisdiction Offences Act Chapter 8:02, disorderly behaviour – contrary to Section 136(b) of the Summary Jurisdiction Offences Act Chapter 8:02. Edwards was also charged with dangerous driving, leaving motor vehicle in dangerous position, uncertified motor vehicle, Prohibition of tinted glass, failing to wear seat belt and failing to comply with Police direction breach of Regulation 190 (g) of the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic Act Chapter 51:02.

Edwards denied the charges and was remanded to prison by the magistrate. He is expected to make his next court appearance on May 17, 2023.

Meanwhile, Cromwell was slapped with three charges: Assault with Intent to Prevent Lawful Apprehension, Abusive Language and Disorderly Behaviour.

He too denied the charges and was remanded to prison. The matter was then adjourned to May 17, 2023, for statements.

A screen grab of the assault

According to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Constable Harlequin was attacked around 16:45hrs while he and another officer were conducting traffic enforcement at Plaisance.

It was reported that while Constable Harlequin was performing his duties, he spotted a heavily tinted vehicle and signaled it to stop. The cop said he then approached the car and cautioned the driver (Edwards) that having tint without a permit is illegal and allegedly invited the man to the Sparendaam Police Station for the vehicle to be inspected.

Investigators stated that Edwards refused to comply and drove over Harlequin’s right foot as he sped off. The rank alleged that he entered the Force’s pick-up and chased the tinted vehicle and managed to intercept it at the Turkeyen Access Road, ECD in the vicinity of Movie Towne.

There, the driver reportedly stepped out of the car and began to curse the cop while telling him that he (the driver) was on the phone speaking to ‘Demon’ (Cromwell). Harlequin, according to the police called 911 for back up.

As he waited for his colleagues to arrive, another car described as a grey Toyota Allion arrived and the driver (Cromwell) of that car walked up to Harlequin and started to curse him too.

Harlequin reportedly ignored him and proceeded to arrest the driver of the heavily tinted vehicle after informing him that he had committed more offences by driving away from the police.

The driver, however, began to behave disorderly and attacked Harlequin. Harlequin alleged that Edwards, the driver of the tinted car bit his left ear while Cromwell began cuffing him about his body.

A cell phone recorded video that went viral on social media showed the two men severely beating the cop before a ‘buffed man’ snatched them off of the injured police.

That individual was later identified as Eustace Abrams, a former police officer popularly known as “Robocop”.

Shortly thereafter, other ranks arrived at the scene arrested the man who remains in custody at the Sparendaam Police Station.

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