Autopsy raises more questions than answers in death of Otis Payne – Lawyer

Mar 28, 2026 News

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…cause of death listed as peritonitis

(Kaieteur News) – An autopsy conducted on the body of 30-year-old Otis Payne, who died while in police custody at the Cove and John Police Station, has revealed that he died from peritonitis—a severe infection of the abdomen caused by a perforated stomach ulcer.

Despite this medical finding, the family’s attorney, Dexter Todd, along with former Member of Parliament Dr. Karen Cummings, say the autopsy has raised more questions than answers after observing the procedure and reviewing initial findings.

The two indicated that the young man’s condition may have been worsened either by slow response by police or delays in medical care, while also not ruling out that the appendix may have burst due to a possible blow he sustained.

According to the Guyana Police Force, the post-mortem examination was conducted on Friday by Government Pathologist Nehaul Singh at the mortuary of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, “who gave the cause of death as peritonitis.”

Peritonitis is a redness and swelling (inflammation) of the lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. It is often caused by an infection resulting from a hole in the bowel or a ruptured appendix.

Toxicology samples were also taken to determine whether any substances may have contributed to Payne’s condition, and his body was subsequently handed over to relatives.

Payne, also known as “Jah Jah,” of South Haslington, East Coast Demerara, died on Tuesday morning while in custody. In the wake of the incident, two police rank who were on duty at the time have since been placed under close arrest and are assisting with an ongoing investigation being led by the Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

Present at the autopsy were Cummings, Todd, and Payne’s mother, Amanda Kato. Following the procedure, Cummings expressed satisfaction with the examination, while pointing to critical concerns about medical intervention.

“We are relatively satisfied. As soon as you open up the abdomen you saw the perforation. It was an acute abdomen and it should have gone into theatre within 24hrs and that wasn’t done. He was complaining of abdominal pain. He could have been saved if the doctors were more aggressive,” she said.

Todd, in his assessment, maintained that while the pathologist carried out a thorough examination, the findings have widened the scope of the investigation significantly.

“My role is to observe the process and I saw that the pathologist did everything that he possibly could, he thoroughly examined the body, he try to find everything in relation to a cause of death. If there is a report of a slightest blow whatsoever, I believe it is enough to have compounded the situation. What we witness here I believe, opens the investigation a bit wider. Because we are not only looking an issue of whether there was a direct blow from the police, we are looking at the issue of when the complaint was made, time period of taking him to the hospital, when he got to the hospital, was he attended to by a doctor, what was given to him. We are looking at issues of malpractice right across the board,” Todd explained.

He further revealed that the pathologist was not provided with any medical documentation from the hospital.

“The pathologist did not receive any examination done by the hospital. If the facts bear the truth that there was no doctor who attended to him, the question is then to be asked, what medication was given to him. If indeed a nurse administered medication, on who’s authority was that done. Really and truly, I think the medical doctors are the best people to speak but this young man could have been saved,” Todd said.

He added, “From the reports we are getting, there seems to be a lot of questions that must be answered to care of persons in police custody.”

Addressing concerns about marks observed on Payne’s body, Todd stated, “From the photographs and videos they weren’t marks of lacerations, these were impressions. There were few scars and I think the observations was from the pathologist is that there were old scars.”

According to police, Payne, a father of one, was found unconscious in the lockups on Tuesday and was rushed to the Enmore Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In a statement issued Thursday, police said that “an investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the matter.”

The incident has since sent shockwaves across the Haslington community and the wider public, with family members demanding answers.

Payne’s mother, Amanda Kato, has strongly alleged that her son may have been assaulted while in custody.

“My son was murdered. When I went to the mortuary and saw him, they turned him over, and I noticed marks of violence on his body—like he had been kicked with boots,” she claimed.

Kato also raised concerns about the delay in being informed of her son’s death, noting that she only learned of the tragedy when she visited the police station on the morning he was scheduled to appear in court.

In its statement, the Guyana Police Force said Payne had been detained in connection with a domestic violence matter. Police claimed that he complained of feeling unwell and was taken to the Enmore Regional Hospital for treatment. After being returned to the station, he reportedly complained again, collapsed, and was rushed back to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities have maintained that no marks of violence were observed on Payne’s body as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding his death.

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• autopsy, Cove and John Police Station, death, Otis Payne, peritonitis

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