MAGISTRATE Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Monday instructed that allegations of assault on accused persons by police ranks be brought to the attention of the Divisional Commander prior to the launching of an investigation.
She gave the instruction in New Amsterdam Court, after robbery defendant Eon Mickle, alleged that he was assaulted in the face by a named rank.Police had alleged that the defendant, in company with others, being armed with a cutlass, robbed Lim Kang, a restaurateur, of $300,000 cash, an Acer laptop, two cartons of cigarettes, Digicel and Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) phone cards, valued a total of $705,000.
However, Mickle denied the charge and said, after his mother informed him that the police were searching for him, accompained by his brother, he cycled to Central Police Station, where he met the investigating policeman.
He said, after his brother was told to go, he was handcuffed behind his back and the police rank began slapping him in the face.
“Then he told me to go to the back, took out his gun, put it to my head and threatened to shoot me. An officer came in the room and asked the identified rank:”Why you playing with a gun to the boy’s head? Use a baton and a condom instead.”
Questioned by the magistrate, as to whether an identification parade was held, the defendant responded in the negative.
He was denied bail and the case was fixed for report on March 4