APNU protests Office of the President

May 17, 2025 News

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─ turns up heat on President Ali over Adriana Younge’s, other unresolved deaths

By Shania Williams

Kaieteur News- Chanting calls for justice and holding placards and printed T-shirts with the faces of lost loved ones, citizens joined Members of Parliament and supporters of the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) in a protest on Friday morning outside the Office of the President on Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.

The demonstration, which began with a small group of opposition members, quickly expanded in number, as citizens rallied in solidarity, demanding accountability and justice for a string of unresolved deaths involving civilians and police action. These include the recent death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, and other controversial cases such as those of Ronaldo Peters, Keon Fogenay, the Henry Boys, and Quindon Bacchus.

At the forefront of the protest was PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton, who criticised the government and law enforcement for their failure to deliver justice in numerous high-profile cases.

“We cannot allow this case to go cold,” Norton said, referring to Adriana’s death. “If you go from the Henry Boys, Haresh Singh, Quindon Bacchus, all of them, the essence you have is a promise for justice, but justice was never delivered,” he told Kaieteur News during the protest.

Norton emphasised the need for systemic reform within the Guyana Police Force.

“They need to operate as professionals so that there is no need to cover up anything,” he declared. “One of the problems you have now is that the police are not willing to investigate the matter. They had not taken a statement from people until a week later. They are seeking to cover up the crime. I ask the simple question, what does the government have to hide?”

Families Share Pain and Frustration

Among those present was Collin Bacchus, the grandfather of Quindon Bacchus, who was shot and killed by police in June 2022.

“The government is failing Guyanese. The government is failing Adriana. The government is failing my grandson, the boys from Linden, the Henry boys from Berbice,” he said.

Expressing disbelief at the slow pace of the legal proceedings, Bacchus added:

“It has been three years now. Why haven’t there been a conviction? Why a cover-up? Every turn, a cover-up. What’s going on? I have no confidence in the judicial system!”

Another grieving parent present at the protest was Basil Henry, father of Isaiah Henry, one of the two teen cousins brutally murdered in September 2020. Henry spoke openly about the enduring pain and frustration his family continues to face nearly five years later.

“Five years have passed, and my belief is that because of the carelessness and incompetence of the police force, and the competence of what they have done with the case and holding the innocent in jail and not trying to get the right person that has murdered those boys,” he said.

Drawing parallels between his family’s grief and that of Subrian Younge, Adriana’s father, Henry described the deep emotional instinct both families experienced.

“We have been there and we are still going through it. Just as Subrian said he felt it in his belly, the same thing happened to my wife. When we son was missing, she felt that something had gone wrong,” the father said

He added that the recent events surrounding Adriana Younge’s death have reopened emotional wounds for his family.

“This movement for Adriana has touched me and reminded me deeply of what we’ve been through. You try to forget, but you can’t. The pain and the hurt behind Isaiah and Joel are still there. The police could have done better. I’m still waiting for justice, still looking forward to justice for Isaiah and Joel.”

Adriana Younge

The tragic death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge remains one of the most painful and controversial cases currently under investigation. Her lifeless body was discovered on April 24, 2025, in a swimming pool at the Double Day International Hotel, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, less than 24 hours after she had been reported missing while on a family outing.

An autopsy conducted by three international forensic pathologists, Dr. Shubhakar Karra Paul of Barbados, Dr. Gary Collins of the U.S., and Dr. Glenn Rudner of Mount Sinai Hospital concluded that Adriana died from drowning. However, her body was found in an upright position with visible marks on her skin, raising suspicions of foul play, which her family believes has not been thoroughly investigated.

Compounding public concern, the Guyana Police Force initially issued a misleading report claiming Adriana had been abducted, which was later proven to be false. The family and public have criticised the police for their slow and questionable handling of the case.

Other victims, same cry

Ronaldo Peters and Keon Fogenay

On April 7, 2025, 21-year-old Ronaldo Peters was fatally shot by Police Sergeant Philbert Kendall in Linden. Police alleged Peters was wanted for rape, and the officer’s firearm discharged during an attempted arrest. However, CCTV footage contradicted this narrative, showing the officer chasing and later dragging Peters’ injured body. The incident sparked widespread protests, during which Keon Fogenay, 32, was also shot dead by another officer. To date, no charges have been brought in connection with Fogenay’s death.

The Henry boys and Haresh Singh

The murders of Joel Henry, 18, and Isaiah Henry, 16, in September 2020, shocked the nation. The cousins were found mutilated in the Cotton Tree Back-dam, West Coast Berbice.

The bodies were severely mutilated and an x was found engraved in their foreheads. Police had arrested three suspects and one of them had given the investigators a video confession admitting to the crime. So far two persons were remanded and are committed to stand trial.

Two suspects, Vinod Gopaul and Anil Sancharra, have been committed to stand trial for the double homicide. During protests over the killings, Haresh Singh, 17, a relative of a person of interest, was also murdered, another case still without resolution.

Quindon Bacchus

Quindon Bacchus, a 23-year-old father, was gunned down by Lance Corporal Kristoff DeNobrega on June 10, 2022, during a sting operation in Haslington, East Coast Demerara. DeNobrega initially claimed Bacchus fired first, but ballistic evidence suggested the weapon found on Bacchus was not in working condition. An autopsy confirmed he was shot seven times, mostly in the back. DeNobrega has since been committed to stand trial. Two other officers, Thurston Simon and Dameion McLennon, were also charged for allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Ongoing Protests

Since Adriana’s death, protests have erupted across the country demanding justice not only for her, but for others who have died under suspicious or violent circumstances involving police action. Friday’s protest was yet another example of the growing frustration among citizens, families, and opposition members who say that justice in Guyana remains elusive for many.

The crowd called for independent investigations, greater transparency, and accountability from both the police and the government. Despite promises from authorities, many families say their grief is being compounded by silence, cover-ups, and bureaucratic delays.ice for Adriana Younge and other victims of unsolved cases

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