Dear Editor,
Reference is made to reports on the murder of Ricardo Fagundes and Dion Bascom spilling the beans behind efforts to block the investigation. Bascom’s lawyer calls for protection of his life. The officer must be protected as there has been too many unsolved murders (of witnesses and investigators too) in the country especially when there was close to solving some of them.
The police investigation into the murder of young Fagundes (well known as paper Shorts) is welcomed. Officer Dion Bascom is commended for coming forward and spilling the beans on official efforts to stymie the investigation. Apparently, the police were very near to solving the crime and then suddenly Bascom and others were blocked from proceeding any further. Was there political directive for a cover up? There were several other unresolved murders of high profile people. Were they covered up? Has politics played a role in not solving them?
The murder of Fagundes, and blocked efforts to solving it and other killings and bringing the killer (person who planned it) to justice, brings back memories of the killing of Minister Sash Sawh. There is, and justifiably so, an outcry to solving the murder of Paper Shorts who was not a prominent person but a mere associate of a well-known figure who was the real target. However, the killing of a sitting Minister, several of his siblings, and a security guard was treated very scantily by the police force. Why?
Why aren’t the police pursuing the Sash Sawh case to bring closure? The family grieves till this day. Who gave the order to kill Sash Sawh? The police and some politicians have enough information on this murder. Leaders in the APNU had accused PPP leaders of knowing who was behind the killing of Sash Sawh and the murder was brought up repeatedly during election campaigns. This would inevitably mean the police ought to know who planned and executed the murder of the Minister. It is noted that when in power, neither party was interested in solving the murder of Sash Sawh and others. Why? Is politics behind their behavior?
The police need to do a better job in solving murders. The police should and must do their work independent of political pressure. Pursue the investigation to solve crimes regardless of where they lead politically! They must do their job professionally and resist political directives.
Yours truly,
Calvin Braithwaite
