Cops charged for alleged murder of unarmed man during high-speed chase

Two ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were on Friday arraigned for the murder of Cecil Sampat, an unarmed man who was shot in the vicinity of D’Urban Street and Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, during a police operation.

The shooting incident took place on July 25 and the former employee of John Fernandes Limited succumbed to his injuries on August 6.
However, 41-year-old Corporal Godwin Thomas and 25-year-old Constable Troy Munroe appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and was not required to plead to the indictable charge.
The two accused were represented by Attorney-at-Law Patrice Henry.
It was reported that on July 25, at about 01:30, three police officers on patrol observed a large gathering at the junction of Agricola Road on the East Bank Highway.

The ranks subsequently requested the crowd to disperse but in doing so, two men were seen punching each other. Soon after, one of them whipped out a gun and pointed it in the direction of the other as he attempted to enter a motor car with registration plates PYY 4432.
The motor car sped off the scene but the police reportedly went in pursuit. The car was finally intercepted at D’Urban Street and Mandela Avenue. The four men were reportedly placed to lay on the ground as other patrol vehicles arrived at the scene.
The police did not report what led to the shooting but 27-year-old Winston Fraser and Sampat were shot to their backs. They were escorted to the GPHC, where they were admitted.

Fraser is now paralysed and remains a patient at the medical facility. It was also reported that the two other men who were in the motor car are Joshua Letlow and Seon Greenidge.
Meanwhile, the two police ranks were remanded to prison and will make their next court appearance on August 21, 2020.