FORMER Guyana Defence Force Private Cleyon Siaka Douglas was fined $120,000 with an alternative of one year’s imprisonment, after he satisfactorily compensated his victim with an undisclosed sum.

The penalty was handed down by Justice Franklyn Holder at the Berbice Assizes, after the virtual complainant, Welton Hazel, said he was satisfied with the compensation.
Douglas, in turn, told the court that his then youthfulness did not allow him to carefully analyse his decision, which left his former colleague permanently scarred.

Ten years after setting on fire fellow soldier Welton Hazel at Camp Jaguar, Former Private 20084 Cleyon Siaka Douglas had pleaded guilty to causing grevious bodily harm, with intent to main, disfigure, or disable Welton Hazel.

In another indictment which stipulated that on June 25, 2005, he caused grevious bodily harm to Welton Hazel with intent to murder him, Justice Franklyn Holder had ordered the mixed jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty in his favour.

Douglas, aged 29 years, of Apartment 18 Cocorite Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, had appeared at the Berbice Assizes weeks before, and expected to be sentenced, following a probation report and a plea in mitigation.

However, the victim, Welton Hazel, reported that he was aged 21 years old and was a private in the Guyana Defence Force based at Camp Jaguar, New River, Corentyne.

Since the 2005 incident, he has moved on with his life, and is now a divorced father of three. In addition to attaining the rank of Lance Corporal, Hazel noted, a lot of time had elapsed, and he has the scars to live with. However, he has grown to forgive Mr. Douglas, and now feels sorry for him.

According to Hazel, there was a misunderstanding earlier that day, and he now desires to plead for clemency on behalf of his attacker.

Meanwhile, Senior Probation Officer Ms. Egla October noted that Douglas, described by others as a quiet-natured person, has since expressed remorse for his action. She concluded that it seems that the haunting and loneliness of the location had caused him “to flip”, since violence of any form is not of his disposition.

The victim, Mr. Hazel, with tears, is now pleading for his release.
Meanwhile, following the incident at the army base at the Corentyne river, it was reported that Douglas and the virtual complainant were members of the Guyana Defence Force.
Hours before the incident, Douglas had made allegations of an inappropriate misconduct, coupled with a physical assault. As a result, he went to the fuel bay, where he accessed the flammable substance which was poured on the sleeping rank. Hazel became awake after smelling gasoline and experiencing a burning sensation to his skin.

The injured private was airlifted to the then Ogle airstrip, before being transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was admitted a patient. However, Douglas fled the camp, but returned hours later, and was subsequently detained by investigators.

It must be noted that the compartments destroyed were the signal centre, the officers’ quarters, the mess hall, and the fuel bond; along with 10 AK-47 rifles, 1M70 rifle and two general purpose machine guns, which were all housed in that one-flat edifice.

By Jeune Bailey Vankeric