Gov’t wants to ‘talk’ with former ‘Death Squad’ member
By Jomo Paul
Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.
The Government of Guyana has noted with interest revelations made by former policeman Shawn Hinds about his involvement in the ‘Death Squad’ and Guyana’s criminal underworld.
Hinds in a recent explosive interview with HGPTV Nightly News revealed details about his involvement in the death squad and who were the persons behind the scene.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon on Wednesday, July 22, told reporters at a post cabinet press conference that there are serious implications about the revelations made by Hinds.
“Mr Hinds’ revelations fit into the mould that says there are intellectual authors of crime…as a government we will have to pursue those,” said Harmon.
Shawn Hinds
In this regard, he pointed out that the government would be willing to talk with Hinds as he may have other pertinent information.
“The state apparatus will be interested in following up those leads and ask him some other questions. It is interesting to know that this is something Mr Hinds is making public…. Mr Hinds can provide us with some further information,” he stated.
When questioned about the possibility of Hinds being offered amnesty, Harmon indicated that such a decision cannot be made by him, explainin that any deals being made with Hinds will have to be made by the police and other relevant authorities, including the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney General.
“Mr Hinds can protect himself…he is welcomed to go into the police if he feels he needs some additional information,” said the Minister of State.
Hinds in the interview revealed that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the police force provided the death squad with weapons and that he worked with the late Axel Williams, who was gunned down several years ago.
“Years ago they said I was part of a killing squad …I can’t deny that. I can’t sit here and deny that…If I wasn’t a part of a killing squad, this country wouldn’t a got law and order…because there was Shawn Brown, Dale Moore and Chip Teeth.”
Hinds made it clear that there is a difference between the “phantom squad” and the “death squad”, pointing out that he was part of the latter.
“Well the boss was a man named Axel Williams who I worked under. Late at night you would see people burn up people in car on the seawall and we used to go after these people including the police! Not we alone…the police was part of it! We used to get guns from the police…I used to go uplift a gun from CID headquarters; a machine gun so this thing was not no one sided affair… where I’m operating on my own army and Axel Williams operating upon he own…We was guided and in communication with senior people from CID headquarters,” Hinds said.
Up until recently, the former policeman acted as a bodyguard for the now sacked Town Clerk, Carol Sooba.
