Some of the protesters at Mackenzie

– say “plastic bags” placed over victims heads

BY UTAMU BELL

Relatives of a few Lindeners who have been charged in connection with crimes, took to the streets on Friday, demanding the removal of Police Inspector Chubinauth Singh, assigned to E Division (Linden-Kwakwani); Commander Calvin Brutus and Corporal Philbert Kendall.

The protesters who held placards and marched along Republic Avenue, Mackenzie, were mainly the families members of three men charged in connection with a recent robbery which occurred on the Mabura Public road.

Protester Calwyn Croal was wanted in connection with the robbery and was subsequently released after turning himself in.

Allegations were also made by a suspect in relation to another issue, who alleged that he was taken to Bamia Creek along the Soesdyke, Linden Highway, where a plastic bag was placed over his head and he was beaten.

A mother’s cry

Eva Stephens, mother of Jevon Scott and Devon Stephens, who have wanted bulletins issued for them in connection with a recent robbery, said her children were in the interior at the time of the incident and she was only made aware of the allegations against them when she saw the wanted bulletins in the newspapers.

As such, she said the Police are “staining” her children’s names.

“These Police come into my home, want go in me house… They say they see Devon riding the bike on the back road going to check truck, like he left a truck there. They hold on pon me son pon the bike. Me son had to ride away because my son don’t have no registration, the bike ain’t in he name, nothing… they torment me and me children. Me son just come from Camp Street, $500,000 bail they put he on, give he two robbery charges, them thing is wrong things. In this country, you guilty before they prove you innocent,” she stated.

Another mother, Coretta Langhorne, alleged that Corporal Kendall and other ranks from the Mackenzie Police Station took her son to a back road where he was beaten to confess to a crime which she claims he is innocent of. According to the woman, her son has been remanded to prison for over a year as a result.

The mother of Phelon Cumberbatch, whom a wanted bulletin was issued for said she did not take her son in to the Police after learning of the wanted bulletin but contacted a lawyer instead, who subsequently took him in.

She said eight counts of break and enter and larceny charges were then laid against him and the matter was tried in Georgetown. According to her, bail was then set at $2 million.

“They couldn’t believe he made bail. When he come up here for court, Philbert Kendall words to him was “Mih guh place things on you so they could lock your a** up back again,” she alleged.

She said her son was subsequently called in for questioning in relation to another offence and each time he attended court in relation to the issue, more charges would be added.

Brutus replies

Speaking in relation to the issue, Commander Calvin Brutus contended that the Police are in receipt of enough evidence to charge the trio, noting that a cellphone belonging to one of the victims was found on the person of one of the suspects.

He added that a statement was taken from the suspect, who implicated other perpetuators in the crime. The Commander said this was the basis for the arrest of the other suspects.

“Other members of the same group who were arrested and charged, it goes way back beyond these robberies,” he stated.

The Commander went on to state that the same group of young men were arrested and charged based on the allegation of a skidder wheel which was left at a tire shop.

Brutus added that the victim refused to proceed with the matter which resulted in the defendants not being charged additionally.

He also recounted other allegations of theft which were brought up against the suspects coming out of the Omai and Mabura areas.

Brutus said since the suspects were in hiding, they were not apprehended right away.

He added that the evidence against Calwyn Croal was highly circumstantial and not enough based on legal advice to proceed with the charge; however, it was enough for a wanted bulletin to be issued.

Croal was questioned in relation to the incident, the Commander stated, and the case remains open. Brutus further said the length of the trials were no fault of the Police since they are not directors of the Magistrate’s Courts.

“In relation to the allegations of assault, if that was so, then they should have come forward over a year now…if they are not confident in the office here, there are many other avenues… rather than waiting one year to say ‘my son was beaten’,” he stated.

Plastic bag over heads

The Commander said he would not confirm or deny the case of the plastic bag being placed over the youths head and the alleged beating, since he was not in receipt of such information. He said, however that Inspector Singh is targeted because he solves numerous crimes.

“What I know from looking at our records, many of those cases that were being disposed of, many of the victims after being disposed of.

This is predominantly an area where you have break and enter and larceny and simple larcenies, where, the victims after being given back their properties they have a soft heart and say ‘I have back my stuff’, and they go and tell the Magistrate ‘we don’t want to proceed anymore’, because they have back their articles. It has nothing to do with the absence of evidence but the decision taken by the victims,” Brutus contended.

Drug trafficking

He added, “When it comes to drug trafficking, I know we’ve made quite a number of cases in this Division, quite recently… persons being remanded for possession, the very last case is 426 grammes right at Retrieve. Why would Inspector Singh be a target? It’s because that is his area. Crime is Inspector Singh’s area so he has to be in the forefront in the tackle against crime. We don’t want a community that is plagued with crime. We need to see this community crime free so that citizens can be free…”

Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Renis Morian said numerous complaints of brutality came in from residents against Inspector Singh and called for an investigation.

He said Police brutality should not be encouraged since a region of peace should be promoted. He said he is prepared to stand up on behalf of residents. Morian said there are countless reports that the Police Commander is involved, noting that he may be aware of the incidents if not involved. The Regional Chairman said the issues are hampering with the region’s development.