– Balram Persaud, Clifton Hicken promise teen’s mother swift justice

CRIMINAL charges are expected to be laid shortly against a police cadet officer from ‘C’ Division who reportedly shot a lad in East La Penitence in the mouth, following allegations that the teen had robbed the cop’s sister.This was confirmed by the Police High Command who visited the mother of the injured teenager yesterday afternoon to offer the force’s deepest regrets at the unfortunate incident.
Fifteen-year-old Alex Griffith of East La Penitence was accused by the sister of the cadet officer of robbing her while she was walking through the area. The incident occurred just after 21.00 hrs on Wednesday evening.
Griffith is at present at the Georgetown Public Hospital nursing a gunshot wound to his mouth while the cadet officer is under close arrest.

The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that the teen was shot by the police officer who was taking ranks to the location where the suspects in the robbery might have been hiding. The female who was robbed reportedly had something sprayed in her face by her attackers before they pounced on her.

The cadet officer who visited the home of the teen informed the child’s mother that he had come to interview Griffith in connection with a robbery which he had witnessed. Griffith, however, informed the police that he knew nothing of the robbery, except that it occurred.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Balram Persaud, who is performing the duties of Commissioner of Police, and ‘A’ Division Commander Clifton Hicken yesterday visited the mother of the 15- year-old and publicly expressed the disapproval of the Guyana Police Force regarding the shooting incident.
Persaud told the media that the matter is already engaging the Criminal Investigations Department and the Office of Professional Responsibility of the force. Asked about the presence of the cadet officer in the ‘A’ Division when he is at present assigned to ‘C’ Division, Persaud said this has to be investigated.
He was; however, quick to point out that the police force has a policy which states that no officer should get involved in a police matter which concerns their relatives. He also told reporters that based on initial checks; there was nothing to prove that the cadet officer who is at the centre of the shooting had any business in ‘A’ Division.
The senior police officer, who is performing the duties of the Top Cop, explained that the Guyana Police Force is at present working very hard to reduce conflicts in the communities and to foster a better relationship, especially with young people, and actions such as this would do nothing to help the situation.
Meanwhile, Commander Hicken told the parents of the young teen that the errant rank is under close arrest and as early as Tuesday the matter would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
Meanwhile, the mother of the child, Marcel Griffith, in recalling to the police top brass what transpired stated that her son was kicked, stamped, and

beaten about his body before being shot by the cadet officer. She said that the cadet officer threatened the teenager even as he was being cautioned by other ranks on the patrol that the teenager should be released into their custody.
She said that the police “cruel her son” although several persons told them that they were abusing the wrong man since at the time of the robbery, her son was in another resident’s house watching television.
As the female screamed for help, the 15-year-old was in the resident’s house watching television after visiting the house to purchase chips which the woman sells.
Meanwhile, the homeowner in whose yard the police beat the teen before taking him into custody related what transpired. She said that while watching television, her daughter called out to her to say someone was screaming on the road. The woman said that her first impression was that it was some domestic issue. However when they looked out they saw the female running into the next door yard and the neighbour was washing something out of her eyes. The female then went over to the other house asking whether anyone had seen where the men went.
The woman and her daughter responded in the negative and the female’s response was, “Oh yall aint know where they gone, they gone dead tonight.”
The woman said that shortly after she saw a jeep load of police in the area and they went directly to Griffith’s home. They then brought him into her yard and started to abuse him.
The teen’s mother said that she can positively identify the cadet officer as well as the other police ranks who abused her son.

(By Leroy Smith and Asif Hakim)