– Constable under close arrest

A 16-year-old boy is accusing a Police Constable of sexually assaulting him while he was being processed for an offence of assault at the Parika Police Station on Tuesday morning.

The teenager was reportedly arrested and placed to sit on a bench in the station since he was not allowed to stay in the cell with two adults. The teenager accused the Police Officer of fondling him among other things.

When contacted D Division (West Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) Commander Stephen Mansell told Guyana Times that a team comprising officials from the Office of Professional Responsibility was presently probing the allegation and the Constable was under close arrest. Commander Mansell added that the Constable was transferred from the Parika Police Station.

“He was under close arrest but he was transferred to another location pending the outcome of the investigations”, the commander stated. He pointed out that once the investigations are being completed, the file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) who will determine if charges will be instructed against the constable.

As of now, he stated that the teen’s statement was the only evidence implicating the Police rank since there were no eyewitnesses. It is not clear if the teenager confided in anyone with respect to the matter. However, the young man is alleging that he is being victimised by the Commander.

“Set-up”

In an invited comment, the accused Constable denied the allegation, claiming that it was a set-up. He explained that on Monday evening, Police ranks arrested a teenager in connection with assault and he immediately contacted his superior who advised him not to put the teen in the same cell with the adult prisoners but rather to handcuff him and let him stay on the bench.

He stated that the bench was within the view of the prisoners in the cell. During the night, the Constable advised the teenager to contact his family, but he claimed that they did not have a landline number and provided a mobile number.

“I didn’t have credit in my phone so I told him that… and he say it was cool.” The Constable stated that about 03:00h, one of his superiors called to enquire “how things was going” and at the same time asked about the number of prisoners for court.

He stated that after providing the information to the senior Police rank, he went about his normal routine. A short while after, the prisoners got ready to be picked up for court at Leonora. The vehicle came after some time and the men were loaded into the van which left.

The Constable further stated that soon after the Corporal in charge of the station came and the young man started to behave in a disorderly manner towards her and he had reason to discipline him. At no point in time, he added, the Corporal intervened but allowed the young man to continue with the disorderly behaviour.

It was at this time he made the disclosure that he was allegedly fondled by the Police rank. Out of anger of being wrongfully accused, the rank reportedly used explicit language in the station. The shift changed and the Constable left. Later in the day, he was summoned to the D Division Commander’s office where he was reportedly treated with disrespect.

He left without providing a statement and has not reported for work since Wednesday morning, but he planned on clearing his name by contracting a lawyer to defend him and declared his innocence. Meanwhile, the constable stated that on the night the teenager was brought into the station, he claimed he was 13, but during investigations, it was revealed that he was 16.

The Police are continuing their investigations.