Police sleuths get over $4M in cash for solving 15 serious crimes in 2023

Jul 14, 2023 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – Ranks attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters received a total cash award of over $4M for solving 15 serious crimes within the first seven months of 2023.

The cash awards were handed out at the Force’s 184th Anniversary Awards Ceremony held at the Police Officer’s Mess Hall, Eve Leary, Georgetown on Thursday.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Calvin Brutus, the crimes solved range from murders, to trafficking in persons and arms and ammunition.

“Of 15 serious crimes solved we’re awarding here today various cash awards, however a total of $4, 365,000 is for CID headquarters”, Brutus said.

The policemen receiving the awards were listed as, “Superintendent Caesar, ASPN Stephen, J Blair Inspector M. Smith Sergeant (Sgt.) Laundry, Adolphus, Sgt. Hinds, Sgt. La Rose, Woman Corporal Bailey, Corporal Joseph, Corporal Felix, Corporal Ragubir, Corporal McKenzie, Constable Brown, Beepat, Evans, Chung, Forde, Cuthsbert, Bob, Kissoon and Narine.

Some major crimes solved include the murder of missing police officer, Quincy Lewis.

Lewis went missing in 2020 but CID ranks managed to crack the case in last April after arresting two suspects, 25-year-old Shafeek Vernon called “Profit” of Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and 35-year-old Jamel Van Lewis, of D’Urban Street, Georgetown.

The two are presently behind bars on remand for allegedly murdering the policeman and had reportedly led police to unearth Lewis’ skeletal remains from a shallow grave at Madewini Sand Pit, Linden-Soesdyke Highway. Two more suspects implicated in the killing remain at large and were identified as a couple. The Police Force has identified them as Thakurdial Samaroo, 56, of Lot 7 Ogle Front Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and his wife Naqueeba Zahid Zafarali also known as “Naqueeba Zafarali” of the same address”.

CID ranks were awarded for solving a double murder of an elderly couple inside a Supermarket at Black Bush Polder, Berbice, Region Six.

Inspector Blair receiving the cash awards from Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum.

The couple, Subnauth and Sarasuattie Budraj murdered on Tuesday January 17, 2023. Their alleged killers had set their home on fire to divert investigators attention from them but CID ranks were not fooled and were able to track them by following a blood trail.

Two men, Harichan Persaud, 22, a labourer of Lot 73 Yakusari South, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, and Emanuel Whittington, 27, a labourer, of Lot 177 Yakusari South, Black Bush Polder are currently before the court for allegedly murdering the couple.

CID was awarded too for solving the recent murder of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Coast Guard, Rondel Anthony Douglas who was shot dead last month while fighting off carjackers from stealing his car at Cul-de-Sac Street, North Ruimveldt.

Apart from murders, CID received awards for rescuing a number of trafficking in persons victims and charging the alleged human traffickers. One of the trafficking and persons cases involved a 45-year-old pilot and businessman, Orlando Charles.

The ranks found that Charles was trafficking a number of Venezuelan nationals from interior locations. In June, he was slapped with 16 counts Trafficking in Persons charges at the Bartica Magistrate Court.

Charles pleaded not guilty and is currently out on $1.3M bail.

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Award ceremony, awarded, CID ranks, serious crimes, Solving crimes

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