Home News Family of murdered Berbice man bashes Police
Family members of the murdered Mahendra Ghanie have claimed that they were given the “royal run around” by the Police when they initially reported that the young man had gone missing.
According to the dead man’s mother, Indranie Senanan, they were forced to visit three Police Stations nine times in two days before any action was taken.
What are believed to be the remains of 21-year-old Mahendra Ghanie of Bloomfield Village, Corentyne were dug out from a shallow grave at Number 55 Village on Friday afternoon, when burnt bone fragments were uncovered in a two-foot grave.
Recalling what she described as a tedious task to get assistance from the Police, Senanan related that the family contacted the Police on Wednesday last to inform them that Ghanie had gone missing since Monday.
Senanan explained that on Wednesday morning they went to the Number 51 Police Station and made the report.
The pottery maker had left to go to Number 55 Village and was not heard from again.
Senanan said that on Wednesday afternoon they went to the Whim Police Station, but again in vain. On Thursday morning, when they went to the Whim Police Station for a second time, they were told to go to the Number 51 Police Station. When they got there, they were made to wait for hours; but they then decided to leave and start a search for the now dead man.
According to the missing man’s brother Razack, they ventured to his brother’s place of work and was told that he had not been there, and had never worked there. But his mother found a hammock which Ghanie had used at the employer’s house.
With that information, they went back to the Number 51 Police Station, but were told that it was the Whim Station that was going to handle the matter. According to Senanan, the officer in charge of the station told the family that they were going to telephone the family if they got any information. The frustrated family then ventured to the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam, where orders were given and they were sent back to the Whim Police Station.
It was then a small amount of action was taken, and officers went to Number 55 Village and arrested the suspect and one of his workers, and told the family to go home even after Sananan found what she believed to be a shirt which belonged to her son.
“I walk over by the cemetery, and between two graves I find one of my jerseys that I give my son. I pick it up and told the Police [name given] that this is my son Ghanie jersey, and he turn and ask me if he does wear woman jersey, and I say that he does wear it to work and that I give him it; it is my jersey…”
After that episode, the family was told that they could go home, and would be contacted if the Police got a breakthrough in the case. However, the family was persistent in finding their loved one, and as such went to the suspect’s yard, where they stumbled on a two-foot deep grave with something burning.
Razack said he took a piece of stick and used it to find out what was burning, and discovered what appeared to be parts of bones. He said he first contacted an older cousin and invited him to the site. “And I call the Number 51 Police Station and they send a female and when I did find some more (bones), she call the Sergeant at Number 51. When the 51 sergeant come now, and I find the next big piece of bone, he tell me that is not bone, but is a piece of wood.”
Razac explained that he also found his brother’s cell phone case, and told this to the Police officer.
On Monday, the family members met with a representative from the Prime Minister’s Office, seeking Government intervention in the matter, claiming they have no confidence in the Police that handled the matter.