Chronicle reporter slapped with four charges
–to appear in Court Tuesday
GUYANA Chronicle reporter Leroy Smith is likely to appear in court Tuesday to answer to four charges.
Smith was informed by the second officer in command of crime at the Brickdam Police Station that he would have to answer to the following charges: Assault of a peace officer, damage to property, refusing to follow police direction, and disorderly behaviour. According to Smith, that commanding officer asked him to identify the officer whom he, in his statement, accused of slapping him in his chest. He said he informed the officer that when he raised the issue about being slapped in the chest, no one apparently took him seriously, so he would be raising that matter with the magistrate.
On Mash Day 2012, Leroy Smith was assaulted by two police officers while he and other state media reporters were in the process of providing coverage of the 2012 Mashramani Float Parade. Despite being assaulted by the officers under the watchful eyes of a senior officer of the Guyana Police Force, Leroy Smith was taken to the Brickdam Police Station and thrown into the lockups before later being released on his own recognizance.
Smith explained to the Guyana Chronicle, yesterday, that on Wednesday, February 29 he was informed of the charges and of the date when they would likely be called in court. He was, however, somewhat confused, as on the day of the incident when he attempted to give a statement to ranks at the Brickdam Police Station, he was denied that right on the excuse that since the matter occurred in the Alberttown police district, Brickdam could not deal with it.
He added that the ranks had also told him that the only reason he had been taken at Brickdam was because Alberttown did not have lockup facilities. Smith is  now further contending, that when he contacted the police at Alberttown to get a status on the investigation, a rank had informed him that the matter was being dealt with by the Brickdam Police Station. He said that after enquiring how that was possible, taking into consideration what the ranks at the Brickdam Police Station had told him, the Alberttown rank then informed him that “the orders came from above that Brickdam must deal with the matter.”
The assault of Leroy Smith on the day in question occurred along Church Street, and was witnessed by Commander of Police “A” Division, Assistant Commissioner George Vyphuis, who had allegedly failed to caution his ranks for their maltreatment of a member of the press, and moreso a member of the public.