Reluctant witnesses, settlements hampering justice – Senior Police warn

Senior police officers are cautioning that justice in Guyana is being undermined by uncooperative witnesses, disappearing victims and out-of-court settlements, allowing offenders to slip through the cracks. They made this statement during a recent “Police and You” programme.
Assistant Commissioners Khali Pareshram (Region 4C, East Coast Demerara), Dion Moore, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), and Kurleigh Simon, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) say these challenges are contributing to a cycle of crime that threatens the safety of communities nationwide. “In terms of our prosecution, a lot of persons will say it depends solely on the police because of how they conduct the investigation,” Pareshram told Police & You. “The thing is, the police is just responsible for the investigation, and in the Magistrate or high court, it solely depends on what you have in black and white or via technology to present in court.”
In Region 4C, Pareshram pointed to a troubling trend of cases collapsing due to witness negligence. “We have seen an increasing number of matters being dismissed due to negligence of witnesses. One, witnesses are not appearing in court, and two, some victims are now going to court to settle the matters. We have even seen cases as serious as robbery being settled,” he said. Pareshram warned that allowing offenders back into communities increases the likelihood of repeated criminal activity. “It does affect our cases, our prosecution rate, and it actually sends the suspect back in the same communities to commit again. So, when persons speak out against the police, it is not only the police, victims and witnesses also play a role,” he emphasised. To bolster prosecutions, technology is being deployed more strategically. Pareshram noted that 70 security cameras have already been installed in targeted neighbourhoods. “Since their installation, we have seen decreases in activities in those areas. We are pushing on the positive side with more technology in our prosecution,” he added.
In Region 10, Commander Simon highlighted the hesitation of eyewitnesses to cooperate.
“You find that witnesses [or] eyewitnesses to crime, are very reluctant to come forward and to put their story in statement form. A victim would say, ‘this person was there,’ but when you contact them, they say, ‘I didn’t see anything,’ or ‘I don’t want to be involved,’” Simon said. He also pointed out the challenges of obtaining CCTV evidence from private businesses and residences.
“Even trying to get CCTV footage from residents and business places is difficult. The challenge can be very real,” Simon added, stressing that the Force continues to train investigators to strengthen prosecutions.
In Region Seven, Moore highlighted yet another obstacle: disappearing witnesses.
“Often, when you go to find a witness, the person no longer lives at their last known address. This puts the police in a very difficult position,” Moore explained. Nevertheless, Moore said that the use of mandatory video interviews has helped maintain high conviction rates.
“With video interviews, the accused cannot divert or make excuses. It’s played in court, the judges can see, and they can make their decision,” he said.
Police officials are calling on members of the public to actively support law enforcement efforts by coming forward, testifying, and assisting with investigations. They stress that even the most advanced policing methods cannot succeed without community cooperation.