Another police rank has levelled major allegations against a member of the Guyana Police Force leadership, whom he says has been running corruption rackets in ‘B’ Division (Berbice).

The rank, who has seniority, told Sunday Stabroek that he opted to speak out after he saw junior ranks breaking their silence on the state of affairs in the division, where the senior officer had once been stationed. The senior officer is presently stationed in Georgetown.

“When he call you and tell you take care of a matter, you got to do what he say or is problem for you,” the rank explained, while noting that the senior officer has “business friends” around ‘B’ Division, whom he protects.

He cited a case where the senior officer had ordered that a case against a businessman from the West Coast of Berbice “go away.” He said the businessman had been intoxicated and discharged his firearm, which resulted in a report being lodged with the police.

He noted, “He [the businessman] drink up at Rosignol and the police carry he in and he cuss up the police and all kind a thing. Them police lodge he gun and instructions come right away to give back the man he firearm and release the man immediately.”

He stressed, “People made reports… There are reports that the man drink up and shoot up and threaten people and he give instructions that very night for that man get release.”

According to the source, nothing came of the case.

Furthermore, the source said there are other reports of the businessman assaulting workers and complaints being covered up by the police at the behest of the senior officer. “That man [the businessman] control over there [West Coast Berbice]. If anything happen, people call he [businessman] and he does collect what he got to collect for [the senior officer] and pass over the thing,” he said.

Additionally, the source noted that there is another businessman, located in the Upper Corentyne, who is known to be involved in smuggling and also enjoys the protection of the senior officer. “That man [the businessman] does beat up people too and the man [senior officer] cover it down for he. When charge prepare, he [the senior officer] does say hold back and when charge go to he, he does send it back,” the rank noted. “He does tell you don’t charge, do report, and when it reach by he, you never see it back,” he added.

The man also said the senior officer has ranks who collect “packages” for him throughout the division.

Asked about the contents of the packages, the police source said that to his knowledge they contain “strictly money.”

A number of ranks told Stabroek News last week that the senior officer was well known in Berbice as the person to contact when in trouble. They had said he is often seen at a known gambling spot in Rose Hall, Corentyne, where he receives money from persons to ensure certain matters are settled in their favour. The ranks spoke out after they said the numbers of four fellow policemen were discovered in a phone belonging to accused bandit Kelvin Shivgobin, who was killed in the recent shootout at Black Bush Polder. They called for an independent investigation as they say the four are engaged in corrupt practices and are being aided by the senior officer.

‘The president’s boy’

The source who spoke with this newspaper yesterday voiced his suspicion that the senior officer is placing ranks who work for him in strategic positions that will benefit him.

He identified a Detective Corporal ,who would collect packages from the businessman in Springlands, Corentyne, an Inspector of Police, who collects packages on the West Coast of Berbice, and a Lance Corporal, who collects packages at Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, to be transported to the senior officer.

Additionally, the source and several others in and out of ‘B’ Division noted that the senior officer would often boast that he is the “president’s boy.” The source said that while stationed in Berbice, the senior officer would “brag and boast that the president send he deh, that he was sent by the president of the country, that the man does say.”

This, has since been confirmed by a number of ranks in ‘B’ Division.

The source opined that the senior officer while stationed in Berbice “corrupt the whole of Berbice.” He added, “Anything happen people that know he does call he and he does tell them ‘yeah, yeah I gone take care of it.’” 

The source also said the senior officer is often seen in the company of known criminals. In one case, he said the senior officer attended a private event in Number 53 Village, Corentyne, where certain known criminals were present. He noted that a criminal, who has faced murder, attempted murder, assault, and armed robbery charges was seen drinking in the company of the senior cop.

The source, who worked under the senior officer, stressed, that it is time for a major “shake up in Berbice” and joined the call by other ranks for an independent investigation to be carried out into the allegations.

Meanwhile, the ranks who have spoken out so far told Stabroek News in an invited comment that they were not surprised that the force has remained silent on the matter. One source said, “Is same thing we say. They waiting on it to die down and we going back to the same thing. This is the reason why we don’t talk. We does stay quiet and take it.”