CoI into 2000-2008 killings still on the cards
President David Granger
President David Granger

THE Guyana Police Force is facing an uphill battle in gathering evidence into the large numbers of killings that transpired under the Bharrat Jagdeo Administration between 2000 and 2008.
Despite this major stumbling block, President David Granger said he remains committed to the launching of an inquiry into the murders including that of former Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh who was assassinated in April 2006.
Speaking during his weekly televised Public Interest Programme, President Granger said the process of gathering evidence is very difficult given that “many of the so-called witnesses were themselves eliminated”.

“I think the present Commissioner of Police (Seelall Persaud), who was at the time Head of CID, in the case of the assassination of Minister of Agriculture Satyadeow Sawh, pointed out that every single witness had been killed, which is astonishing,” he told Guyana Chronicle’s Ravin Singh and HGP Nightly News’ Reporter Royden James who were a part of the interviewing panel.
President Granger, who is an expert in security, said when dealing with murders, assassinations and execution-style killings, key forensic evidence is needed in addition to critical pieces of information that would lead to successful prosecutions.

However, notwithstanding the challenge of securing the needed evidence into these murders, President Granger said the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the killings that rocked Guyana under the Presidency of Jagdeo, remains on the agenda.
“I would like to get it over as quickly as possible because some of the relatives would like to see justice done but the availability of evidence has been a challenge to the security forces in this regard.”
While in Opposition, President Granger in 2014 had tabled a motion in the National Assembly for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to investigate the incidence of criminal violence in Guyana from 2004 to 2010.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS
The motion had sought to address the “unlawful killing of undetermined numbers of persons including assassinations; executions; murders; extra-judicial killings by members of the Guyana Police Force Target Special Squad” and other forms of criminal violence in this country.
The motion was premised on Article 138(1) of the Constitution, which prescribes that no person shall be deprived of life, intentionally, save in the execution of the sentence of a court in respect of an offence under the Laws of Guyana for which convicted.
Though crime remains a serious issue in Guyana, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change Government has not been any death squads or extra-judicial killings, since it has taken office.

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, while addressing the Police Officers’ Conference in January, said the Government has made significant strides in this regard.

NO DEATH SQUAD
“Since the assumption to office of our Government, we can proudly proclaim that Guyana has no death squads, no extra-judicial killings, and no electronic support architecture for the criminal enterprise and no agreement with the narco-syndicate to be an auxiliary of the national security apparatus,” he had said.

The Prime Minister further noted that, “It seems not so long ago that we experienced the gruesome episodes of torture, executions and use of excessive force, which had impugned the professionalism of the Guyana Police Force.”
According to him, fatal shooting by the police fell from 17 cases in 2008 and 13 in 2013, to only three such cases last year. Nagamootoo said that statistics show that in the last 20 months, when compared with the corresponding period, percentage-wise, the incidence of crime has fallen.

The Prime Minister said the facts are supported by compelling statistics, which show that the Guyana Police Force lessened the incidence of crime and that police ranks responded positively by apprehending suspects, putting them on trial, and playing useful prosecutorial role in seeing that justice is done.
“You have sent a strong message that you would deal condignly with law-breakers and that our system of justice ensures that those who do the crime, they would do the time!” he said.

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2 thoughts on “CoI into 2000-2008 killings still on the cards”

  1. A background character check ought to be carried out on – Everyone – all persons who were killed during the period 2000 – 2008. Everyone , regardless of whether they were killed by Fineman and his Clan, Roger Khan and his clan, the Phantom Squad or the Police. This will bring clarity to lots of unanswered questions. .

  2. They are videos and many photos with Corbin and with many PNC members with the criminal gang and with Fineman in Buxton during that 2002 to 2008 period. So Granger kick the ball and let the game start.

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