-says he was not a criminal
THE Guyana Police Force is in search of several persons in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Seon Clarke, which occurred last Saturday on the Pearl Public Road, E.B.D at about 22:30h allegedly during a vigilante-style operation.Clarke was allegedly murdered at the hands of vigilantes, while his friend was badly beaten on ground that they were suspected bandits.
Acting Commander of ‘A’ Division, Marlon Chapman, told Guyana Chronicle on Monday that while no arrest has been made thus far, the Force is actively pursuing the case. Though he declined to disclose a figure, Commander Chapman said investigators are in search of several persons in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, Clarke’s family is not only outraged over the incident, but is also outraged by media reports which painted him as a criminal who had a poor relationship with his family.
According to the dead man’s family, the information which surfaced in the local newspapers is far from the truth, and may be a case of a mix-up in identities.
Initially, reporters interviewed Godfrey Clarke, who said he was the father of Seon Clarke of Old Road, Land of Canaan, E.B.D. Clarke had said his son, who is also known as ‘Cash Money,’ had previous brushes with the law, and had been released from prison four weeks ago after being on remand for simple larceny. But on Monday, relatives of the dead man, who also identified him as Seon Clarke, said Clarke’s father Andre Clarke has been bedridden for several months after he was involved in a vehicle accident.
“Seon lived with me from since a baby…I don’t know him as any thief. No police never came and search the house. He was not a criminal,” his grandmother Margret Davis said, as she rubbished the claims made.
“Cash Money? I never know my nephew as Cash Money,” one of his aunts added.
Contrary to media reports, the woman said, her nephew was not residing at Land of Canaan at the time of the incident. “If you are saying that this person went to jail, provide the evidence…They say he went to jail, he served his time and all these things. Find out the jail he was in… They got him mixed up… I don’t know who is Godfrey Clarke; I don’t know who is Cash Money,” she lamented.
Turning her attention to the incident which left her nephew dead, the woman said she wants nothing but justice, as she questioned the reason behind the senseless killing.
Another relative said Clarke was shot and killed although he had surrendered and pleaded with the residents. “You can’t shoot a man without him retaliating. Why would you shoot him to the back? Either he was running or you had him on the ground face down,” the woman reasoned.
In an initial police report, the police said that at about 14:00h on Saturday, Clarke and a male companion had visited a grocery store at Sarah Johanna, E.B.D, and were observed by the proprietor “behaving suspiciously.” The proprietor, police said, made his way to the public road and alerted a policeman who was passing at the time. The policeman responded, and in the process summoned other policemen. However, the men fled into the bushes and were not seen again until 22:30h that day, when they were spotted on the Pearl Public Road.
Persons in the area reportedly apprehended them; and during the process, it is alleged, one of the public-spirited citizens shot Clarke and inflicted a beating on his friend.
The men were handed over to the police, who rushed them to the Diamond Public Hospital, where Clarke was pronounced dead on arrival whilst his friend was treated and sent away. This second suspect has since been taken into police custody and is assisting with the investigation.
Clarke’s death comes days after two bandits were severely beaten by residents in North Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
Speaking on the issue, President David Granger has said that ‘vigilantism’ would not be tolerated. “We can’t tolerate that. We accept that citizens have a right to protect their property and so on, and we expect people to be organised in CPGs – the Community Policing Groups; but we can’t tolerate vigilantism, especially when it results in the injury or death of anybody,” he said.
The Guyanese leader, a former member of the Disciplined Services Commission (DFC), told reporters that such a situation “can get out of hand”.
