“I thought they would’ve killed me” – teen details harrowing escape from car trunk

Alleged torture of teen

By Rupa Seenaraine

Seventeen-year-old Ashkay Budhairam of Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD) believes that he managed to save his life after enduring six hours of torture and then jumping out of a moving car to escape his captors.

Earlier this week, two law enforcement officers were taken into custody for the alleged beating and torturing of the young lad. Guyana Times spoke to the teenager on Thursday, as he detailed his harrowing experience after being handcuffed, beaten and burned with hot water repeatedly.
Last Monday, Budhairam recalled that he was with a few friends in nearby village Schoonord when eight unknown men showed up with weapons in two cars at about 11:00h. They proceeded to attack his friends until he was snatched and put in the trunk of one of the vehicles in an unconscious state.

“I was at the Superbet with my friends and whilst playing some games, eight persons run into the place. Them had wood, baton and crowbar and them things. Them snatch me and start beating me. I hold on on my friend and tell he don’t let the carry me nowhere cause I didn’t know them. They end up lashing he and he loose me. Them put the crowbar behind me and I get blackout and them throw me in the trunk. Then they drive off,” he related.
After driving for some distance, the young man said he was taken to a house in the same vicinity. The two constables, who are brothers and occupy the said residence, alleged that Budhairam had stolen some items from their house. He was handcuffed to a bed and questioned about the missing items to which he denied any involvement.

After that, he noted, a few of them proceeded to visit his house to search for the articles while the beating continued. But the teenager claimed that nothing was found at his residence. Water was then heated and thrown on the lad to which he started screaming.
He was doused for a second time with the hot substance. The injured teen told this publication that the men were fearful that neighbours might hear his screams and opted to put him back into the trunk.
“Them carry me to a house, reverse the car in the yard and carry me in the house. They handcuff me down to a bed frame and start beating me, beating me and asking how far them things deh. I tell them I didn’t know anything. Them go and hot some water in a electric kettle and start throwing it on me. I started hollering and making noise”.
He added, “They take the gun and lash me behind my head. After that, they throw back the water again. I start hollering again and one of them said that ‘Let we carry he out from here before somebody call the Police’ and they take out one of the boards from the bed and slide the handcuff out. They carry me back to the car and put me back in the trunk”.

Escape
He said that the car was moving for approximately 20 minutes and somehow, he managed to open the trunk and leapt out. The men exited the car but he had already jumped across the trench – one which they did not attempt to cross. As he looked up, it was a desolate location, an average distance from where he lived.
“It had a shovel in the trunk so I thought they would’ve killed me. I play with one wire at the back by the trunk and it open. I jump out and roll over in a big bush, over the drain and so. I couldn’t run properly cause every time, I falling down with the handcuff by my hand. Them then stop the car to pick up some brick from the road and start pelting me. I lie down in the bush and when they gone, I walk home and tell my sister to call my mother”.
Ashkay said he was afraid for his life, believing that the men were going to kill him after noticing the shovel in the trunk beside him. This fuelled his might to flee.
After reaching home, Budhairam and his relatives filed a report at the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station and later went to the West Demerara Regional Hospital to seek medical attention.
On Tuesday, Police Commissioner Leslie James confirmed that there was a report and that the two ranks – one of whom is stationed at the Tactical Services Unit and the other at the Wales Police Station – were both taken into custody. An investigation has been launched.