The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has recommended that three policemen be charged with the gunning down of Golden Grove youth, Quindon Bacchus.
The PCA, chairman however, William Ramlall said it was for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack to announce the names of the ranks to be charged and for what crimes. Ramlall had promised to complete his investigation into the matter on Monday. However, he dispatched a press release on Sunday indicating that he had completed his investigation and submitted the report to the DPP.
It is not clear how soon the DPP will her recommendations to the police for the specific charge against the three police ranks. Since the killing of Bacchus, a 25-year-old father of one, the East Coast village of Golden Grove and other neighbouring communities have been restive.
A massive protest has been planned for Monday as part of the efforts to press the authorities to deliver justice for the death of Bacchus.
The APNU+AFC Coalition is on record condemning the execution of Bacchus by members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). “It is a case of murder and should be investigated as a crime. The Commissioner of Police’s reassurance that it will be properly investigated must be taken with a pinch of salt,” the Colaition had said in a statement. According to the opposition, the same pronouncement was made when Isaiah Henry, Joel Henry and Haresh Singh were murdered. “When Orin Boston was executed by ranks of the Guyana Police Force the same pronouncement was made by the Guyana Police Force. To date, we are nowhere close to justice for any one of them.”
Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken in an earlier visit to relatives of Bacchus had promised them that an “impartial investigation” will be conducted into his killing. Hicken told family members at their Golden Grove, East Coast of Demerara (ECD) residence that the incident will be thoroughly investigated by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and that the Police Force will not interfere. He said that he could not interfere with the investigation but will reach out to the PCA and ask if they can expedite the investigation.
Police had reported that its rank had shot Bacchus at Haslington, ECD during a sting operation. It was alleged that ranks had learned that Bacchus had an illegal gun to sell. Arrangements were made for an undercover cop to purchase the gun from him. The undercover cop allegedly showed up to do business but while Bacchus was allegedly handing over the weapon, someone reportedly blew his cover. Police alleged that after Bacchus realised that he was caught in a sting operation, he shot at the cop. The policeman reportedly returned fire and Bacchus ran away and jumped into a yard where he shot at the rank again. The policeman alleged that he took cover and fired back again and this time, Bacchus was struck to his body and he fell to the ground. An injured Bacchus was picked up and rushed to a hospital where he died while receiving treatment. However, video footage which has been shared widely on social media has contradicted the police version of the incident. The video footage showed Bacchus running away from the policeman. There was no evidence of him shooting at the policeman as being alleged. According to reports, Bacchus was shot six times. A post mortem conducted on his body on his revealed that he died of multiple gunshot wounds.
