…says mom of teen killed at Cotton Tree
…attorney Wade says Police Force being used as instrument of oppression
The gruesome killing of the two cousins, Joel and Isaiah Henry in West Coast Berbice has left deep wounds in thousands, particularly their parents and relatives.
On Mark Benschop’s Straight Up Live show Monday evening, Gale Johnson, the mother of Joel Henry the elder of the two youths, described what a harmless, law abiding teen her son was.
Johnson said that Joel was a very quiet person, who never used to walk around the village.
“If he wasn’t at work, he’s always home in his room on his phone, on the internet. He was a loving and kind child; very courteous, and loved to make you laugh. This hurts me alot. I am grieved, I am weak, I am sad, I am shaky about this,” the mother said in a weeping tone.
Outraged
She said she is hurt and outraged by the narrative being pedaled that her son was probably murdered for stealing coconuts since he was a teen that earned an honest living by working at the Balirmont Sugar Estate. Additionally, she said her family owns lands on the backdam that have mango and coconut trees, so there was no need to take from another.
“Joel works on the estate. I felt bad when I heard people talking about the possibility of stealing cause Joel was a working person. He wakes at 4 every morning with me and would go out to catch the 6 o’clock truck. He brings his pay cheque and shows me. He packs sugar. Up to Friday he draw his pay,” she said.
In fact, Johnson said Joel had left for work on Saturday, and was taking his cousin Isaiah to see if he can get a job too, and they both never returned home.
“He went to work on Saturday and realised there was no work. But his cousin met him half way and asked him to follow him back to the estate to get a job. So he returned with Isaiah when this happened. But they were not murdered there, they were dragged there,” she said.
The mother noted that she received several calls from persons in high positions, and was visited by former President David Granger.
She said that Granger gave her a little courage even amidst her hurt, and she is looking forward to justice.
Police Oppression
Meanwhile, on the same programme, Attorney Darren Wade, spoke on the wider issue that is occurring in the village. As the unrest continues in West Coast Berbice over the brutal murders, Wade said that the Guyana Police Force is being used as an instrument of oppression against Afro-Guyanese.
The attorney condemned the actions of the force being exercised at the protest of the villagers who are just demanding justice. “The people in Berbice are under siege by the police. The actions of police are disturbing, and it is only being exercised on a particular group of people. I’ve heard that there is a protest at Bath Settlement and there is no police presence there. The reaction from the police in the West Berbice village protest, it is evident that the people are being treated with indifference. There are shooting our people with pellet bullets and using teargas and the police are not going to the protest in Bath settlement. The Police job is to serve and protect, not to destroy the people. I’m calling on the Commissioner to tell his ranks to stand down,” Wade lamented.
He went on to express his disappointment in the response from the sitting government in the situation. “This is a hate crime. Those murders were inhumane, what message are you trying to send? I am disappointed that no proper statement came out from Freedom House. There has been a total breakdown of law and order in the country since they took office. These things haven’t happened in the last five years. Is it now a crime to be black?” Wade asked rhetorically on the programme.
Stereotypes and labels
He spoke passionately about black stereotypes and labels, especially in certain communities.
“When you’re black you can’t go in certain communities because they label you as a thief just by looking at your race…,” he pointed out.
Him and the host, Mark Benschop, spoke on past occurrences of similar nature, to validate and substantiate the point that the PPP regime has only picked up from where they left off in 2015.
The discovery of the mutilated bodies of two cousins, 19 and15, Sunday have sparked a series of fiery protests in No. 3 Village and other neighbouring communities from which the boys live and dwelled. Across the country, Guyanese have been increasingly calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. Thus far, five persons are in custody assisting with the investigations. These are the owner of a coconut estate in which the bodies were found, his son, along with a handyman. The police detained two other individuals on Monday evening but no information on them was released.
In a televised address to the nation, President Irfaan Ali said he has assured the teenagers’ parents that justice will be served. “I assured the parents, the relatives of our commitment in ensuring justice is served and more importantly, I want to ask all Guyanese not to use this moment to divide us or to separate us but for us to be conscious of the implications of statements, comments and posts can have, especially, on social media,” the President said.
He also used the platform to call on members of the community hard hit by the heinous crime to offer necessary support to the police as they conduct their investigation.
