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$2.5M in fuel unaccounted for at Bartica Police Station

DECEMBER 14, 2012 | BY  | FILED UNDER NEWS 

-    Sergeant busted, Barrack Room labourer being investigated   

The Guyana Police Force has launched an internal investigation into a discrepancy, totaling $2.5M, in fuel purchases by the Bartica Police Station.
The discrepancy was unearthed about a month ago, but the Force had been silent on the matter.
Under investigation are a Sergeant, and a Barrack Room labourer, who also acts as a coxswain, both attached to the Bartica Police Station. The Sergeant has since been relieved of his command of the station and is now serving at the Tactical Services Unit, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
But the hammer may not fall on these two only, since there are reports that investigators are looking to find out to what extent the lack of proper supervision from senior officers contributed to the present situation.
This newspaper was reliably informed that the labourer, who operates the police boat at Bartica, would collect fuel for the vessel from a petrol station in the district. However, he would normally collect more than he is authorized to, ignorant of the fact that there is an established quota of fuel for the station.
It must have been that the extra-fuel bill became so high over a period of months that caused eyebrows to be raised.
Concerns were raised and it was discovered that the labourer was collecting extra fuel which was charged to the police.
According to information received by this newspaper, this smacks of supervisory irregularities, since a senior officer should have been aware of what was taking place before it reached such alarming proportions.
Normally, an officer in charge of the Bartica Police Station would contact the supplier and authorize the amount of fuel to be collected, but in the case of the labourer and the boat, this was not done, leading investigators to believe that there was also some amount of collusion.
Reliable sources have indicated that criminal charges are likely to be instituted upon completion of the investigation by the police’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

FM

Bartica cops in police brutality probe

NOVEMBER 4, 2009 | BY  | FILED UNDER NEWS 

A top police official has confirmed that two ranks at the Bartica Police Station are being investigated for allegedly beating a 28-year-old man while interrogating him about a stolen computer.
Cedric Babb, of Fourth Avenue, Bartica, has alleged that three CID ranks struck him in the stomach with a piece of wood and placed his head in a plastic bag until he lost consciousness.
Babb said that the beating occurred last week Thursday in a room at the Bartica Police Station. He alleged that the assault continued even as he repeatedly denied having knowledge of the stolen computer.
Babb, who was hospitalised for a day, said that he subsequently identified the three CID ranks while giving a statement to the officer in charge at the Bartica Police Station.
Contacted on Monday, a senior police official confirmed that Babb’s allegation is being investigated, but said that Babb had only implicated two police ranks.
The officials also confirmed that Babb was hospitalised but a doctor who examined him found no injuries.
According to the official, the accused ranks have denied Babb’s allegation. A report on the incident is expected to be completed on Friday.
Babb, who said he is a carpenter, alleged that his troubles began last week Tuesday when he went to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on charges that he had bought two stolen cell phones.
After speaking with an attorney, a CID rank reportedly told Babb that he wanted to see Babb in his office.
According to Babb, the rank accused him of buying a stolen computer, an allegation that the Bartica resident said he repeatedly denied.
Another CID rank then allegedly informed Babb that he was being charged with break-and enter and larceny and ordered him to sign a statement, which Babb said he refused to do.
“He say ‘well take off yuh belt and shoes, yuh going in the f—ing lockups,” Babb said
Shortly after, Babb said he was placed in the lockups.
On Thursday, he was taken to a room that was occupied by three CID ranks, and again denied buying the stolen computer after the ranks began interrogating him again.
Babb alleged that at that point, one of the policemen began to hit him.
“A short one start cuffing me in me belly and saying ‘where the computer deh?’”
“After they start cuffing me, they put a plastic bag over my head.” Babb said that he began to have difficulty breathing and tore off the plastic bag.
However, the policemen, he alleged, tied another plastic bag over his head and he eventually lost consciousness.
The policemen reportedly revived Babb by throwing water on him and the brutal interrogation continued as he sat in a chair, he said.
“They pick up a wood and hit me in my stomach and I fall out the chair and start hollering.”
Babb said he later learned that persons who had heard his screams informed his relatives, who were outside the station.
Babb alleged that after questioning him further, the CID ranks put him in the female lockups, to ensure that no one could see his condition.
But he said that they eventually took him outside the station and he managed to signal to relatives that he had been beaten.
According to Babb, he was again taken to a room where the ranks attempted to make him sign a statement, which he refused to do.
He was then taken back to the lockups, although he was suffering from severe stomach pains and was bleeding through the nostrils.
The man claimed he was finally released after his father contacted the officer in charge at the station.
He alleged that it was only then that the police took him to the Bartica Hospital, where he was admitted. Babb said he remained there until Friday.
“But then they lock me up again, and say that I telling people that police beating me.”
According to Babb, he was eventually released on $50,000 station bail but was informed that he would be charged.
The allegations of police brutality come at a time when police rank at the Leonora Police Station are under investigation for torturing a 14-year-old boy and refusing to inform his relatives of his whereabouts.

FM

APNU can turn around the crime situation in Guyana

MAY 28, 2014 | BY  | FILED UNDER LETTERS 

Dear Editor,
In Guyana the rapid escalation in crime shows no sign of abating; actually, it is getting worse and Mr. Clement Rohee’s contention that his People’s Progressive Party can turn around our crime situation lacks credibility only because of the PPP continued facilitation of criminal activity; its abysmal record in dealing with crime; its past collusion with criminals, and the fact that neither Mr. Rohee or the PPP regime have presented a plan to reduce crime.
The fact that the PPP regime posted Shaun Hinds (whose criminal activities are well known) to guard Carol Sooba clearly conveys its association with criminals as it did in the past with the Roger Khan crew.
Between 2000 and 2006 when Mr. Jagdeo was in office, there were over 400 extra-judicial murders—an average of roughly 70 a year, with a peak of 97 in 2005. That is an average of 8 murders every week. Kidnappings during the same period reached its peak, yet Mr. Rohee boasts the PPP administration was able to reduce crime. Is he in denial of his highly visible incompetency? Crime is a PPP problem.
What is also significant is that statistics show that when Mr. Rohee assumed the office as the Minister of Home Affairs, crime, especially murders, rose exponentially. Mr. Rohee’s contention that crime continues to be a problem because the major opposition party association with criminals is blatantly false and he should apologized not only to the PNC but to the people for his incompetency to reduce crime.
For the past ten years, crime has become a PPP problem and Mr. Rohee still cannot articulate a functional and workable crime plan. Only a silly and Waco Minister would compare today’s crime rate to that of the Burnham era 28 years ago. His crime plan consists mainly of criticizing the APNU day-in, day-out while abdicating any responsibility in the matter and offering no solutions whatever.
To criticize the opposition for the high crime rate is naive, simplistic, myopic and real backward thinking.
Furthermore, he and his minority PPP regime have voted against everything the opposition has taken to Parliament to deal with crime. In spite of the PPP total lack of support, the opposition, especially APNU continues to articulate policies to reduce crime.
APNU has called on the PPP government to introduce legislation to increase penalties to the Firearms (Amendment) Act; the Anti-Gang Act; the Trafficking in Persons Act and the Bail (Amendment) Act. In addition, APNU has called for a modern communication system, more vehicles and professional training for the police, an increased presence and visibility of police in the streets, the creation of a Rapid-Response Police Unit and a Police Highway Patrol.
Despite Mr. Rohee’s ranting and raving, no one in Guyana believes the PPP can solve the crime problem or has any intention of doing so. Further, they have abdicated their duty to fight crime and protect the citizens. What is even worse is their non-action in fighting crime is clearly an abdication of leadership and responsibility.
The APNU has a comprehensive plan to fight and reduce crime. First they believe that it is their moral obligation to deal with the crime problem and protect the citizens of Guyana. Second, unlike the PPP, APNU would make crime their primary concern and would immediately open dialogue with the people, especially the youths in every village and community to know their problems and frustrations would leave no stone unturned to get to the bottom of them.
Third, APNU would solicit the support of pastors and recognized leaders in every community to help educate the youths about the negative impact that crime could have on their lives and the country as a whole.
Fourth, APNU would embark on strategies such as to have better trained police officers and the establishment of a quick response police team to deal with the problem.
The Opposition is considered the alternative government. It is required to provide alternative ideas for solving crime and taking Guyana forward to developed-country status and not backward as is the case with this administration.
That is why in the British, Canadian and some other Commonweal countries’ constitution, the Opposition is referred to as Her Majesty’s Alternative Government. The goal of the opposition is to present alternative ideas and to stand ready to implement them once elected. But in the PPP world view, the opposition cannot or is not required by them to come up with innovative ideas. They see this as a threat to take power away from them.
We strongly believe that if elected to office, APNU can turn the crime situation around in Guyana and safeguard the security of the people.
Dr. Asquith Rose and Harish S. Singh.

FM

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