Nine months after two brothers were allegedly beaten and one shot by police while they were riding on a motorcycle in North Sophia, two policemen appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged over the incident.
Andrea Parkes was not required to plead to the charges of felonious wounding and discharging a loaded firearm when they were read to him by Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle. He was subsequently remanded to prison. Police constable 22-year-old Eon Alonzo was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm and was not required to plead. He was subsequently released on $50, 000 bail.
It is alleged that on April 12 last, Parkes discharged a loaded firearm at Gary Duncan, wounding him in the process while Alonzo allegedly assaulted Wendell Duncan.
On the day in question around 2:55 pm the two brothers were on a motorcycle when a police vehicle reportedly hit them from behind and the ranks came out and started beating them for no apparent reason. During the beating Gary was shot in his left hand while Wendell’s eye swelled to the size of a golf ball.
The two men were subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Hospital for treatment. Wendell was treated and sent away while Gary who had a gunshot wound in his shoulder was chained to his hospital bed with handcuffs after undergoing surgery. He remained a police prisoner for six days after which he was told that he was free.
Though the brothers held out that they did nothing wrong expect ride without helmets the police later said that they had attempted to stop the two but they rode away.
Police said they followed the men into Sophia and ranks said that one of the men opened fire on them and they returned fire hitting Gary in his shoulder. Gary was also told by the doctor that he would never be able to use his left hand fully because of the injury he sustained to his shoulder.
About a week after the incident the police said that the matter would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. Both brothers were in court yesterday.
When the matter was called only Parkes was present. Questioned by the magistrate about the absence of Alonzo, the investigating rank said that at the time of the incident the rank was stationed at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) but was later transferred to the East Coast. The magistrate then told the investigating rank to get Alonzo to court by one o’clock.
Parkes who was unrepresented at yesterday’s proceedings said nothing in his defence and the prosecution asked for his bail to be refused.
He will return to court on March 17 when the preliminary inquiry is set to begin.
Alonzo appeared in court at the stipulated time dressed in his uniform.
Attorney-at-law Peter Hugh made a bail application on his behalf to the court. He also asked for the matter to be taken summarily. He informed the court in his bail application that his client is stationed at the BV police station attached to inquiries adding that he has no previous convictions. Hugh told the court that Alonzo was at a police training course when he was informed that he had to attend court.
Counsel said that the incident occurred when ranks were pursuing some people who did not want to stop when asked to.
The magistrate then set Friday for the case to be taken summarily and for the statements to be served.
