By Orderly

POLICE officers are mandated to protect and serve, placing persons who find themselves on the wrong side of the law before the courts.

However, many of these officers are finding themselves in hot water, handcuffed and placed before the very courts for engaging in various criminal activities.
The Guyana Chronicle has compiled a list of some matters engaging the court’s attention involving members of the Guyana Police Force – charged with offences ranging from rape, attempted murder, drug trafficking, fraud , bribery, firearm possession, causing death by dangerous driving, etc.

RAPE
Corporal Osbert Paul attached to the Lethem Police Station is currently out on $100,000 bail on two counts of sexual assault. It is alleged that Paul sexually assaulted two physicians who are attached to the Lethem Hospital.
His matter is currently ongoing at the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.

ATTEMPTED MURDER
Police Constable Lyndon Thompson is accused of discharging a loaded firearm at Shawn Williams with intent to commit murder on August 5, 2016 at Itaballi, Mazaruni.
Constable Thompson reportedly shot Williams after an argument. The officer was sent to arrest Williams when the man allegedly resisted.

DRUG TRAFFICKING
Police Constable Louie Dublin is charged with having 558 grams of cocaine in his possession for the purpose of trafficking on March 17, 2017 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA.) The trial is currently ongoing before City Magistrate, Leron Daly.

Dublin was arrested by fellow officers carrying out a sting operation at the Lotus restaurant and bar located at the airport. Dublin was searched and the cocaine allegedly found in his possession.

FRAUD
Constable David Singh, attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), was in April indicted before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan, on two fraud related charges. He is currently out on $30,000 bail.

DEATH BY DANGEROUS DRIVING
Assistant Superintendent of Police, Jermaine Grant is currently on trial at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court after being charged for causing the death of 65-year old Annmarie Deonarine of New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, back in September 2016.
Grant is accused of hitting down the 65-year-old woman who was walking along the

roadway, when his vehicle veered in her direction.
After the accident, Grant was removed from his duties as divisional detective and transferred to the Tactical Services Unit.

BRIBERY
Sergeant Lakeram Deochan, stationed at Police ‘G’ Division is currently out on $100,000 bail after being accused of taking a $2M bribe to drop a murder charge against a man.
Deochan is currently before the Charity Magistrate’s Court for the indictment which alleges that while being an agent of the Government of Guyana, he corruptly obtained the cash from Nalini Baharally, as an inducement to forgo a criminal charge against her husband, Lennox Baharally, following a boat mishap which resulted in the death of Mohamed Shameer.

ILLEGAL POSSESSION
Corporal Shevon Marks was charged in March for illegal firearm and ammunition possession.

It is alleged that Marks attempted to smuggle an AK-47 and forty 7.62×39 live rounds out of the Tactical Services Unit compound on February 28, at Kingston, Georgetown. He is currently on trial before a city magistrate.
Shooting civilians, colleagues

Police Cadet Officer, Franz Paul is currently on trial before City Magistrate, Azore for discharging a loaded firearm at Alex Griffith, a teen. It is alleged that the Cadet Officer placed a firearm in the teen’s mouth on April 30, 2014 and shot him.
He was charged with intent to maim, disable, disfigure or cause grievous bodily harm to him. It is also alleged that he unlawfully and maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm as well as assaulted the teen.

ASSAULT
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Frank Thompson was in March charged for the offences of verbally assaulting a civilian and using threatening language towards a junior rank.
Thompson is accused of making use of threatening language to Hemchand Budhai on February 22, 2017 at Broad Street, Georgetown.
Thompson also pleaded not guilty to another charge, which stated that on the said date, he made use of abusive language to Police Constable Leandrea Gillis. The court heard that this incident stemmed from an altercation between Thompson and Budhai.
He is currently out on $120,000 bail and is on trial before City Magistrate, Judy Latchman.
A video on popular social media website, Facebook, went viral with the incident.

WOUNDING
POLICE Constable Gadi Hoyte was charged in May and released on $75,000 bail, pending trial at the Kamarang Magistrate’s Court for assaulting a woman with a bottle.
Hoyte is alleged to have unlawfully and maliciously assaulted Maxi Duncan, causing actual bodily harm on December 3, 2016 at Ekereku landing, Mazaruni River.
Constable Hoyte was stationed at the Ekereku Police Station when Duncan went to report a matter and the two parties had an argument. Duncan was hit on the left side of her face
During the previous year, over 30 ranks were dismissed from the Guyana Police Force for a variety of offences.

Once the officer is arraigned before a court, he/she will be suspended from duty, pending the outcome of the court case and will receive half their regular salaries during the period of suspension.
If found guilty, ranks will face dismissal , but if exonerated the file will be sent back to the DPP for advice.