Berbice regional authorities want CoI into corrupt Police

…say citizens not confident about uncompromised OPR

In light of the damning allegations that not only rogue policemen were helping three now dead bandits who wreaked havoc in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) in recent months, but that a senior police officer, specifically a Deputy Police Commissioner, was also a part of this network, there should be a Commission of Inquiry.

This is according to Berbice’s Regional Chairman, David Armogan, who on Saturday told Guyana Timesthat such serious allegations warrant an independent body to conduct investigations into the matter so as to allow for a fair probe as well as prevent victimisation of Police ranks who are willing to testify.
“The idea of asking Police who are suspected to be whistleblowers to make a statement is a ridiculous one because no policeman in their right senses who would want to stay on their job is going to give evidence to that effect that an officer is involved. They are not going to take that risk because obviously they would be discriminated against and most likely they will find a way of getting them out of the Force,” the Chairman said.
He added that while the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Government have both declared that investigations are ongoing, it is wiser to have persons outside of the local law enforcement agencies lead the probe.

According to Armogan, the Berbice Regional Democratic Council (RDC), has been receiving sporadic reports from concerned citizens in that county, inclusive of police officers, that are questioning the next step that can and will be taken to deal with this matter.
“They are asking what is it that we are doing about it, if these police have spilt the beans, why is it that we cannot put pressure on the Government to come up with an independent investigation? To bring the truth of the story out because if this thing continues it does not spell, look good for the future. If this continues and you have some rogue police officers who are bent on associating with criminals to create havoc in Berbice here, that is going to be unacceptable and at some point, the people would have to react,” the Regional Chairman said.

OPR probe
On Friday last, the GPF told the media that the matter(s) are under investigation by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) despite the fact that the police “whistleblowers” had stated that they were more confident and comfortable with a probe into the allegations being done by external sources so that the investigations could not be compromised.

Damning allegations
Ranks in Berbice made some damning allegations against their colleagues, one of which was that a police rank was closely connected with the criminal network that terrorised and traumatised residents in the ancient country earlier this year.
According to a police source, it was a rank who was stationed at the Rose Hall Police Station and upon notice of the allegation, he was transferred to the New Amsterdam Police Station.
He is said to still be on duty as investigations continue.
It was alleged that this particular rank had been associated with now dead criminal Kelvin “Kelly” Shivgobin, who was shot and killed recently in the backlands of Black Bush Polder during a shootout with the police. It was further alleged that the policeman and the now dead bandit’s relationship dates back to when Shivgobin was arrested and charged for the murder of a businessman.
According to sources, the rank in question had been one of the investigating ranks in that murder case. The matter was dismissed in April 2018, and Shivgobin was set free after the Magistrate stated that there was not enough evidence to keep him in custody.
But some months after his release, there was new evidence to have Shivgobin rearrested. However, it was disclosed that Shivgobin was never rearrested.
This publication was also told by senior regional authorities that the alleged corrupt rank is “being shielded” by a high-ranking officer who is presently stationed outside of B Division (Berbice).
Additionally, reports were that when the three bandits were shot and killed in Black Bush Polder recently, the call logs and the contact lists of the cellphones that were found in their possession contained numbers of police ranks.