-says AG

THE police are still investigating the violent robbery of Mon Repos Market vendors during a protest action along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) last month.

This update was provided by Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, S.C., during his ‘Issues in the News’ programme streamed on Facebook on Tuesday.

AG Nandlall explained that statements are still being taken from police officers who were present at the scene, and statements are now being taken from the victims of the violence.

He disclosed that the police have accumulated relevant video footage and images from that day, which will assist in the investigation and lead to arrests being made.

“Charges are going to come. Don’t worry!” he said while adding: “As I said, the charges based upon everything are going to be very serious charges.”

The Minister said that these types of criminal behaviour from “miscreants” who cause violence and public disorder cannot be allowed.

“We will not have that reoccurring in Guyana; so the law, as I promised will take its course, will be applied as condignly as possible,” he promised.

On June 28, the protest initially started at Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara, where people took to the street and chanted for justice after they were misled by a false media report that the police officer purportedly involved in the killing of Quindon Bacchus, had been released.

What started as a verbal chant quickly escalated as scores of persons blocked sections of the ECD corridor with debris and even made their way to Mon Repos, where they purportedly beat vendors, robbed them and destroyed their property. The government later issued compensation to the vendors.

Following the protest, 16 men appeared at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court for allegedly engaging in riotous behaviour. However, no arrests were made for the robbery of the vendors.

Lance Corporal Kristoff DeNobrega was remanded for the murder of Bacchus, while his colleagues Lance Corporal Thurston Simon, and Cadet Officer Dameion McLennon, were accused of obstruction for their alleged actions following the shooting incident.

They are currently on remand.