Chaos erupted at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court yesterday when a policeman cuffed one of the men implicated in the 2006 Kaieteur News killings in the face as he was about to board the van to be taken back to the Camp Street prison.
Murder accused Dwight Da Silva retaliated by repeatedly kicking the armed Tactical Service Unit (TSU) rank in the face and chest and throwing drink at him.
The episode lasted less than five minutes and persons standing in the
courtroom openly voiced their disgust at the policeman’s behaviour.
Da Silva, Jermaine `Skinny’ Charles and Devon Evans were taken to court yesterday under heavy security for the continuation of the preliminary inquiry into the murders before Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys.
As is customary, several heavily-armed policemen wearing bullet-proof vests stood at strategic points in the courtyard so that at the end of their case, they would be quickly whisked away to the Camp Street prison, escorted by the armed ranks.
Police Superintendent Bacchus who is tasked with responsibility for prisoners at the court would often escort them to the prison van.
After the case had ended yesterday, the trio was taken to the court lockups and just after noon, they were led to the waiting van by Superintendent Bacchus as several TSU ranks looked on.
According to reports, as Da Silva was walking to the van he made a remark and as he jumped onto the back of the truck, the rank dealt him a cuff to his face.
An obviously infuriated Da Silva kicked and threw his drink at the rank whose hat fell off in the process.
The rank, caught by surprise, received the kicks before his colleagues pulled him away while Da Silva’s co-defendants restrained him.
Superintendent Bacchus who was by now behind the group of TSU ranks eventually calmed Da Silva down and he, along with the others, was taken away in the prison van.
