SELF-CONFESSED former ‘Death Squad’ hitman, Shawn Hinds, has called out the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for allegedly providing his unit with weapons, including machine guns, to carry out killing operations alongside the Police Force.Hinds’ allegations were made in an exclusive interview with HGP Nightly News’ anchorman, Travis Chase. In the Tuesday evening broadcast, Hinds spoke about his involvement in the death squad and the full brunt of the unit’s operations.

Self-professed former Death Squad member Shawn Hinds

In the interview, Hinds recalled allegations made against him years ago about his involvement in a “killing squad.” “I cyan deny duh,” Hinds calmly said before the camera, then went on to defend his involvement in the squad, saying the country would not have had Law and Order if he had not done what he did. Hinds made an effort to clear the air on the Phantom Squad, and the Death Squad which, he said, were two different squads. “I was in the death squad. The boss was a man named Axel Williams, who I worked underneath,” he continued. The former Death Squad member then made a shocking revelation that his squad operated alongside the Police Force, and received resources from the Force for their operations. “The Police was a part of it. We used to get guns from the Police. I used to go and uplift a gun from CID Headquarters, a machine gun.” “We was guided, and been in communication with senior people from CID Headquarters,” Hinds continued. Asked whether he had links to the former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, Hinds responded, “I gon tell yah dis. All my orders came from CID Headquarters, and there is evidence to this day.” “I have communication with me and people, saying what they need to be done, and how it need to be done, the kind of guns that need to be used, and what mustn’t be done and how yah muss do it, and doan do dis one like dis, and doan leff he in de streets and dem kinda ting,” Hinds continued. Minster of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, at a post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday at the Ministry of the Presidency, expressed interest in the statements and the implications of the statements made by the former ‘death squad’ hit man. Harmon recalled his recent words where he told reporters the new Administration will not only be going after the small criminal, but the group which he calls the “intellectual authors” of crimes that pass instructions. “Mr. Hinds’ revelations,” he continued, “in our view, fits into the mould that there are intellectual authors of crime and that, as ‘Mister Hinds’… he had some linkages higher up.” Harmon said the Government would “pursue those statements that have been made by Mister Hinds.” Harmon was asked whether the Police Force’s Criminal Investigation Department would be asked to investigate itself in the allegations made by Hinds.

“You don’t try the devil in hell,” he responded.

“If an allegation is made against the CID, we can’t tell the CID to investigate themselves.”

While Minister Harmon expressed some confidence that there is a “fresh CID now that is not tainted with that history,” he said, “The allegations that have been made are serious, and are serious enough for us to launch an independent investigation of the entities that have been named in the statement.”

While Hinds has confessed to being involved in a number of other hits, he denied involvement in the death of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing, who was gunned down in the height of the 2015 elections campaign. The Police have since issued a wanted bulletin for Hinds, urging him to make appearance with a lawyer to the authorities. No indications have been made as to what Hinds was wanted for. Minister Harmon also told the press that the Administration, being concerned with the events of recent, is inviting Hinds to present whatever information he may have leading to solving the major crimes following the May 11 elections results. “We are more interested in what is happening now, and I believe Mr. Hinds can provide us with some linkages [and] … further information that could show us why these crimes that took place recently did take place, and who are the persons actually giving the directions,” Harmon said. While admitting that the Government is not prepared to grant amnesty to Mr. Hinds for any of his information, Minister Harmon said the decision would then fall to the police authorities to decide on such measures. Meanwhile, Minister Harmon made no bones saying that Hinds could face incarceration if found to be involved with criminal activities.