THE Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) is yet to advise the Criminal Investigation Department of the Guyana Police Force on what charges it should lay against two police constables who have been accused of shooting dead an unarmed, mentally unstable man in Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara earlier this year.Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on the matter yesterday, Justice Cecil Kennard, head of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), confirmed that he had completed reviewing the file that was sent to him by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility earlier this year.

Justice Kennard said it is clear to him that the police constables had shot an unarmed man dead. He explained that the information in the file suggested that when the ranks returned to the area where they had earlier gone in response to a report of threatening behaviour, they encountered the same person whom they had first gone there to arrest. During that first encounter with the man, he was armed with a cutlass and had threatened them, causing them to seek refuge in their vehicle as they left the scene. Having uplifted two weapons othroughapproval of a station sergeant, they returned to the scene, confronted the man and shot him dead although he was then unarmed.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum was also contacted yesterday. He confirmed that he had sent the file concerning the matter, including recommendations of the chairman of the PCA, to the DPP.

He was, however, quick to report that the file has not yet been returned to the police, and that the two male constables involved in the matter remain at the Tactical Services Unit base in the Police Headquarters Compound at Eve Leary, while the female sergeant who had approved the ranks uplifting firearms remains on the job at that very police station.

Divisional Commander Marlon Chapman has also confirmed that the female sergeant is on the job, and is carrying out her normal duties. He said that no file pertaining to the advice proffered by Chairman of the PCA was sent to him, and he could not act in the absence of same.

This newspaper was told that the Chairman of the PCA has also recommended disciplinary charges for that sergeant.

RECAP
On July 4, 2015, police constables (name provided) shot dead the mentally unstable Junior Gulliver, 30, of Strathavon, Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara while responding to a case of threatening language and threatening behaviour.
Residents of the area have claimed that the cops had shot Gulliver while he was unarmed, but the ranks have reported that they were attacked by the man, hence they resorted to the use of force.