Cops complicit with bandits everywhere

Bandits with cops telephone numbers

– but not in Black Bush Polder case – Ramjattan

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan said that the discovery of several police officers’ numbers stored in a cellphone that was found on the slain bandit, Kelvin Shivgobin, does not prove that there was any collusion between the lawmen and criminals.
Shivgobin was one of three bandits shot and killed during a standoff with the police in Johanna, Black Bush Polder, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Among the items found at the scene on the dead man was a mobile phone and according to a recent article published in a local newspaper, the phone numbers of four police ranks were found stored in the handset.
“I understand that there might be some whistleblower who set it up and indicated that indeed this is true… I hope [the police] gonna get the witness giving a statement rather than just wildly making the accusation. But that accusation also could be corroborated with the phone numbers,” Ramjattan told reporters when prompted.
In the same breath, however, the Public Security Minister posited that the numbers found in the phone do not mean there was any collusion. But in the article, the whistleblower revealed that the numbers were also in the call log, providing that there was contact between the ranks and the now dead bandit.
Nevertheless, the Minister noted that the matter is being investigated.
“Phone numbers of policemen could very well be in criminals’ phone; it doesn’t mean that the policeman is complicit with the criminal… So, we have to be cautious about what is being said in this whistleblowing episode and so although indeed a certain policeman’s phone number was found in the criminal’s [phone], the connection now that they were complicit is what the police will have to investigate. That, as you know, can be very difficult but whatever it is, I am absolutely certain that that set of difficulties could be surmounted by good detective work,” Ramjattan contended.
The report which was published earlier the week referenced unanimous “ranks”, who called for an independent probe into the corrupt practices by those four officers, which is reportedly being aided by a senior cop. It was alleged that one of the implicated ranks was a mole for the criminals, collecting large sums of money to tip them off whenever the police are on their tail.
According to Minister Ramjattan, there is always some sort of complicity between criminals and rogue elements of law enforcement. While noting that this phenomenon is not limited to Guyana, there is a no-tolerance for such behaviour.
“Once these things happen, the police is investigating them thoroughly and if anybody – whether a popular policeman, high ranking policeman; if he has to be charged, charge him. It’s a zero tolerance and no-nonsense approach; that’s the only clear way we can get rid of the rogue elements in our Police Force and get a better, safe security system,” the Public Security Minister stressed.
The now dead Shivgobin, called “Kelly”, was believed to be the ringleader of a notorious gang that has been terrorising residents in Berbice for months. However, on May 19, he along with Ramnarine Jagmohan and Sewchand Sewlall were shot dead after opening fire on the police.
The trio is believed to be behind the 2018 Old Year’s Night attack in Bush Lot, Corentyne, during which brothers, Harricharran and Premcharran Samaroo, were shot and killed.
Shivgobin was on the police wanted list for several other armed robberies, but, more particularly, for the murder of the two brothers.