A GROUP of about 12 persons on Friday picketed the office of ‘E’ Division Commander, Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus, calling for his removal and that of an inspector within the division.According to information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the group included the relatives of two murder accused and another group of men who are at present before the courts for several robberies committed along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway.

Bearing placards, the group accused ‘E’ Division police (Linden-Kwakwani) of being corrupt and abusive to the accused, but the group’s protest comes months after the matters involving the men would have been engaging the courts.

Among the reasons cited for picketing the Commander’s office is that the cases have been put down for later dates while the men languish in prison.

Speaking with this publication, Commander Brutus confirmed that a picketing exercise conducted in his division had been directed at calling for his removal from the division. He told the Chronicle that while he understands the frustrations of the men’s relatives, since the matters are being called in court and then put down, the court process is not within his realm, as it is a matter for the magistracy.

He reminded that the job of the police is merely to bring suspects to justice; the determination of their guilt or innocence rests with the court.

On the issue of the persons who are before the courts charged for robberies committed along the highway, the commander reminded that a cellphone had been recovered from a suspect who admitted to the crime.

The Friday protesters were not wearing the “peaceful picketing exercise” arm bands and were therefore in violation of the law, but the police allowed them to express themselves without hindrance. They also accused the police of being abusive, but the commander said the claim is very strange, considering that the men would have been arrested and passed through the courts since last year.

The Guyana Police Force Headquarters in Georgetown has been briefed on the matter of the picketing exercise.