Toshao says police raid was unprofessional
October 19, 2015 | By KNews | Filed Under News, Source
Nazim Haniff, Toshao of Yarikita Village, Mabaruma, North West District has condemned actions of three policemen attached to the Mabaruma Police Station.
In an interview with Kaieteur News, the Toshao related that he is appalled at the way the officers conducted themselves while carrying out a raid in his community, last month.
Haniff explained that the three police officers (name given) went into his community on September 15, in pursuit of three suspected thieves without consulting him.
According to certain sections of the Amerindian Act, the Toshao, who holds responsibility as head of the community, should be consulted before certain operations are carried out.
The Toshao explained that the police “barged” into the village, located the suspects’ home and carried out their search. He pointed out that the officers were unprofessional in executing their duties.
In explaining this, Haniff pointed out that the officers had no search warrants and were dressed in civilian clothes.
Further, he added that the officers who were armed with guns, failed to identify themselves to occupants in the home.”
In the end, Haniff said that the police were able to locate two of the suspects but sought his assistance in locating another. “This is when they consulted me, almost when everything came to an end,” he stressed.
Nonetheless, Haniff said that with his assistance, the other suspect was found and taken into police custody, where investigations were carried out.
Haniff highlighted the reason for the officers conducting the early morning raid. He recalled that on September, 6 last, businessman, Benedict Nazeer reported to the police that he was robbed of $45,000.
Nazeer, who recently moved to the village, hosted a party at his business place on that day. However, the party ended abruptly after Councilors and police were forced to end the revelry because the businessman had violated the village’s 10pm curfew.
According to the Toshao, “The community has a bylaw which states that all businesses and loud music should stop at 10pm. He (Benedict Nazeer) disregards the rules and regulation of the village.”
During a confrontation with the police, Nazeer reportedly retaliated by hurling indecent language at the officers. He later visited the police station where he made the allegation against the three men.
Toshao Haniff explained, “after he was asked to close off the party, he claimed that somebody went into his shop and stole the money. He didn’t know who went into the shop. He just randomly selected these three persons.”
Meanwhile, the Toshao reported that the ride to the Mabaruma Police Station with the suspects was a rough one.
The suspects were placed on motorcycles and transported along jagged trails. Strangely, he said, one of the suspects was handcuffed to a motorcycle, which later crashed into a concrete bridge. The impact of the collision caused the suspect to be hurled some 12 feet away resulting in him receiving injuries about the body.
Although the Toshao related that he is unaware of what caused the accident, he is questioning whether it’s standard procedure to confine someone in that manner.