Henry Greene rape probe “put on hold”
JANUARY 4, 2012 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Investigations into the rape allegations against Police Commissioner Henry Greene have come to a
Police Commissioner Henry Greene
standstill. This is as a result of the non-arrival of overseas investigators, more than three weeks after President Donald Ramotar had instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to seek such assistance.
Yesterday, efforts to contact Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee were futile, and there is no definite indication on when the overseas investigators will arrive.
There were reports that assistance was sought from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, but the terms of reference have not yet been disclosed.
The administration is of the view that an investigation carried out by international investigators will dispel the belief that the probe was not impartial.
In mid-December, a 34-year-old woman dropped a bombshell by claiming that she was raped by the Top Cop after she had sought his help in a matter in which she was involved.
Greene had written to President Ramotar requesting to proceed on leave in light of the allegations.
Local investigators had started a probe but suspended same due to the instructions issued by President Ramotar.
“We have put it on hold after engaging the woman, pending the arrangement that the government has made with the overseas people,” Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told Kaieteur News yesterday.
The woman had claimed that she was sticking to her story.
She spoke about receiving threats to her life if she ever went public with the allegations.
This, the woman said, resulted in her only making the public disclosure more than two weeks after the alleged incident.
She related that she was overwhelmed and could no longer live with her conscience, so she decided to reveal details of the alleged ordeal.
Since the revelations were publicized by the media, several organizations and prominent individuals have called on Greene to demit office, instead of merely proceeding on leave.
The Alliance for Change had first made the call, with its Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan, demanding that he be immediately interdicted from the Guyana Police Force.
“As a matter of fact, based on what we have heard, we feel that he ought to tender his resignation or the President ought to dismiss him….but at the very least at this stage… an interdiction,” Ramjattan had emphatically stated at a recent press conference that his party hosted.
Greene’s predecessor, Former Commissioner Winston Felix had also called on Greene “do the honourable thing” and step down from his post.
“Since he has been interdicting ranks who have committed similar and lesser breaches of the law, I think he has one honourable course of action to take, and to do anything otherwise, would be to force the hands of his superiors,” Felix opined.
When contacted, Greene had told this publication that Felix, firstly, has no credibility to be calling for his resignation.
He continued to play down the allegations. “Let God be the judge,” Greene had stated.
But there are some concerns by several members of the force who believe that the commissioner should step down once and for all.
“There is a possibility that he could still return to the job and those who are carrying out the investigation will know that they will still have to face him if he should return as the Top Cop.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud dismissed any suggestion that the Top Cop had in any way influenced the investigations. He said that the Commissioner has not given any instructions regarding the investigation.
“Standard operational procedures are being followed. No, we haven’t approached the Commissioner for a statement as yet,” the Crime Chief told Kaieteur News.
JANUARY 4, 2012 | BY KNEWS | FILED UNDER NEWS
Investigations into the rape allegations against Police Commissioner Henry Greene have come to a
Police Commissioner Henry Greene
standstill. This is as a result of the non-arrival of overseas investigators, more than three weeks after President Donald Ramotar had instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to seek such assistance.
Yesterday, efforts to contact Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee were futile, and there is no definite indication on when the overseas investigators will arrive.
There were reports that assistance was sought from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, but the terms of reference have not yet been disclosed.
The administration is of the view that an investigation carried out by international investigators will dispel the belief that the probe was not impartial.
In mid-December, a 34-year-old woman dropped a bombshell by claiming that she was raped by the Top Cop after she had sought his help in a matter in which she was involved.
Greene had written to President Ramotar requesting to proceed on leave in light of the allegations.
Local investigators had started a probe but suspended same due to the instructions issued by President Ramotar.
“We have put it on hold after engaging the woman, pending the arrangement that the government has made with the overseas people,” Crime Chief Seelall Persaud told Kaieteur News yesterday.
The woman had claimed that she was sticking to her story.
She spoke about receiving threats to her life if she ever went public with the allegations.
This, the woman said, resulted in her only making the public disclosure more than two weeks after the alleged incident.
She related that she was overwhelmed and could no longer live with her conscience, so she decided to reveal details of the alleged ordeal.
Since the revelations were publicized by the media, several organizations and prominent individuals have called on Greene to demit office, instead of merely proceeding on leave.
The Alliance for Change had first made the call, with its Chairman, Khemraj Ramjattan, demanding that he be immediately interdicted from the Guyana Police Force.
“As a matter of fact, based on what we have heard, we feel that he ought to tender his resignation or the President ought to dismiss him….but at the very least at this stage… an interdiction,” Ramjattan had emphatically stated at a recent press conference that his party hosted.
Greene’s predecessor, Former Commissioner Winston Felix had also called on Greene “do the honourable thing” and step down from his post.
“Since he has been interdicting ranks who have committed similar and lesser breaches of the law, I think he has one honourable course of action to take, and to do anything otherwise, would be to force the hands of his superiors,” Felix opined.
When contacted, Greene had told this publication that Felix, firstly, has no credibility to be calling for his resignation.
He continued to play down the allegations. “Let God be the judge,” Greene had stated.
But there are some concerns by several members of the force who believe that the commissioner should step down once and for all.
“There is a possibility that he could still return to the job and those who are carrying out the investigation will know that they will still have to face him if he should return as the Top Cop.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud dismissed any suggestion that the Top Cop had in any way influenced the investigations. He said that the Commissioner has not given any instructions regarding the investigation.
“Standard operational procedures are being followed. No, we haven’t approached the Commissioner for a statement as yet,” the Crime Chief told Kaieteur News.
