Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton is calling for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Assistant Commissioner of Police Khalid Mandall, accusing him of spreading false information and undermining the investigation into the tragic death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge.
Norton’s demand follows growing public outrage over the police handling of the high-profile case, which has ignited protests and led to multiple arrests. In a press statement, Norton claimed that Mandall should face charges of creating public mischief and attempting to pervert the course of justice, the same charges currently being pursued against nurse Tianna Lewis-King, who reportedly commented on the case online.
“When this issue with Adrianna began, the police were called in, and the commander told this nation that they had video evidence of this young lady leaving the hotel,” Norton said. “That turned out not to be true.”
Assistant Commissioner Mandall, who was the Officer in Charge of Region 3 at the time, allegedly informed Adrianna’s family that there was surveillance footage showing the child leaving the Double Day Hotel in a vehicle. The Guyana Police Force echoed that claim in an official statement—a claim that was later found to be false.
The situation escalated further when the hotel where Adrianna’s body was discovered in a swimming pool was mysteriously gutted by fire, only days after the incident. Mandall has since been transferred out of the region and placed on administrative leave following criticism of the initial investigation’s conduct.
“This false information contributed to the unrest and the protests that followed at Double Day Hotel,” Norton said, arguing that if the police are to uphold the law fairly, they must apply the same legal standard to their own ranks.
“I hold no brief for Tianna Lewis-King,” he added. “But what I do know is that if she is to be charged, then Mandall should be charged because it is a similar act that both of them would have committed—and in Mandall’s case, his statement was in the public domain far earlier.”
Norton stressed that holding Mandall accountable would send a strong message about the seriousness of the investigation and signal a commitment to justice. “The Guyana Police Force must stop being political,” he stated. “They must issue a wanted bulletin for Khalid Mandall and subsequently charge him. This would be the beginning of the march toward justice for Adrianna Younge.”
The death of Adrianna Younge has gripped the nation since her body was found on April 24 at the hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, mere hours after she was reported missing. According to medical examiners, she died by drowning. The circumstances surrounding her death, coupled with what many see as a botched or possibly manipulated investigation, have galvanised widespread calls for accountability and reform.
Public frustration has been further fueled by what critics describe as selective enforcement of the law, as several citizens have been arrested or targeted for their public commentary or protest activity related to the case—while senior officials like Mandall have, so far, faced no charges.
Norton’s comments come amid growing scrutiny of the Guyana Police Force, which has been accused by civil society organisations, including the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), of systemic misconduct and politicization. GHRA recently launched a parliamentary petition calling for an independent international investigation into the Force, citing a pattern of corruption, political interference, and failure to deliver justice.
While the Police Force has not responded publicly to Norton’s latest statement, the mounting pressure from both civil society and the political opposition underscores a deepening crisis of confidence in law enforcement institutions.
Norton concluded his remarks by emphasizing that justice must not only be done but be seen to be done. “The firing of Mandall would demonstrate that there is indeed a serious attempt to get to the bottom of the story,” he said.
