…Nigel Hughes takes Top Cop to task over statement, produces more witnesses
As investigators continue their probe into the Kingston Seawall shooting, the alleged eyewitness to the incident is now being sought by Guyana Police Force after it came to the conclusion that his statements were riddled with flaws.
The alleged eyewitness, Devon Lyte, a construction worker of Mc Doom, Greater Georgetown, came out two weeks after the incident and accused the Police of executing the three men.
In the presence of his Attorney, Nigel Hughes, Lyte claimed that on the day Dextroy Cordis, called Dutty, of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Kwame Assanah of Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and Errol Adams, called Dynamite, were fatally shot, he was working on the roof of the Guyana Softball Association on Carifesta Avenue.
The account of the incident he gave vastly differed from that given in a statement issued by the Police.
According to Attorney Hughes, the facts presented by Lyte seemed to suggest that it was an execution.
As such, a probe was launched by investigators and based on findings, acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine described Lyte’s statement as “reckless”.
In a press conference held with the media on Thursday, Ramnarine rebuked Lyte for attempting to tarnish the “good work” of the Police Force.
“It is painful; that you can have someone turn up at your office, give what purports to be a story that has national implications and impugns the good work and reputation of a national institution and its officials rushed to publicise, it is all over the world and then after the fact, you turn up at a location to find that it cannot be substantiated. If it is not grossly reckless, it is truly irresponsible behaviour,” the Top Cop stated.
However, Attorney Hughes has taken the Top Cop to task over his statement and produced more witnesses to corroborate Lyte’s account. (See letter on page 5)
Since the initial disclosures were made by Lyte to the media and a statement handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), he has been sought by Police.
According to Ramnarine, the alleged eyewitness was scheduled to be questioned thoroughly by CID investigators, but he failed to show.
Numerous calls made by the Crime Chief, Paul Williams and other senior ranks proved futile.
Ramnarine said, “When he (Williams) got on to his learned attorney, we were told that he (Lyte) had family issues. We were then told that he and other witnesses of this learned attorney wanted protection.”
In the meantime, investigations saw three “solid” witness statements being given to Police which proved statements Lyte gave to be untrue.
“We have several statements, three of which are very instructive to the extent that Mr Devon Lyte was never ever on the roof of the building he claimed he was on…one of the statements is from the contractor, one from the sub-contractor and one from a security supervisor…he was a labourer on the ground floor of the building,” Ramnarine revealed.
As such, the Top Cop is calling on credible witnesses to come forward, and further reprimanded Lyte for lying.
Further, Ramnarine vowed for the integrity of the ranks involved in the shooting incident and those currently carrying out the investigations.
“I want to ask persons with information to come forward, because these are senior officers whose numbers are known, because the Force is more open now, there is nothing to be afraid of … the [Office of Professional Responsibility] OPR is also being led by a very competent Officer who was awarded the best cop award on several occasions,” Ramnarine said.
Earlier on Thursday, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon revealed that a coroner’s inquest into the incident would be carried out by the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
President David Granger, who initially ordered an investigation into the fatal killings, has decided that following findings from the investigation, it would be determined whether there was any culpability for the shooting incident.
“We have ordered an investigation into the circumstances under which the men came to be killed and I believe some actions will be taken to have the files sent to the DPP to determine whether there was any blameworthiness in the death of the persons,” Granger told reporters on Wednesday.
On March 15, 2018, the three men who were said to be trailing a customer from a bank in the city to the Seawall were reportedly caught in the act.
They engaged Police ranks in a shootout, but were all killed. A fourth suspect is still be sought.
