Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Cecil Kennard yesterday dispatched a letter to Police Commissioner (ag.) Henry Greene reminding him that on completion of the investigation into the shooting to death of a Riverview fisherman last week the report should be submitted to him.
Police in the past had bypassed Kennard’s office and submitted their report to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). One such case was the Donna Herod report which was sent to the DPP before the PCA chairman, who according to the law should review the report first before making recommendations to the DPP.
The former chancellor of the judiciary had objected to this, but it is not clear whether the police had been adhering to the principle. It is more than one week since Felix Da Silva was shot dead by a policeman during a confrontation at his home, located in the squatter settlement of Riverview, Ruimveldt. Police said they had gone to the man’s house to investigate a report of burglary, but he engaged them by chopping the policeman who retaliated by shooting him.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Kennard said he was giving the police time to complete their investigation as it was a complex case. According to the PCA chairman, on Tuesday relatives of Da Silva visited his office and gave statements. He said he would go through those statements and await the police report. Da Silva was buried on Monday and his relatives have vowed to continue fighting for justice.
Excesses
Meanwhile, in a statement on Tuesday the PNCR said it was encouraged by reports that the PCA was prepared to launch an investigation into the controversial shooting of Da Silva. However, the party said it begs the question why so many other obvious incidents of police excesses went uninvestigated by the body. According to the PNCR the shooting to death of Da Silva has been tarnished by different versions from the police and eyewitnesses.
“The PNCR believes that the investigation by the PCA can determine whether the police acted in accordance with the law or whether Da Silva was another victim of elements of the force being judge, jury and executioner,” the party said in its statement. It urged the Chairman of the PCA to launch an investigation of the matter with dispatch, so that the Guyanese public can know whether the rule of law is being upheld or whether measures need to be taken to ensure that the rule of law is indeed upheld in incidents of this kind. The party said it expected this investigation will be only the beginning and that the PCA will deal expeditiously with many others.
Hours after the shooting, which occurred on Indepen-dence Day, police said that while conducting investigations into a report of burglary committed on a grocery shop and beer garden at Riverview, Ruimveldt there was an armed confrontation between Da Silva and the police resulting in him being fatally shot.
The police said investigations revealed that about 4:30 am on May 26, Edward Farley, who operates a grocery shop and beer garden at Riverview, was aroused by noise in the building. On checking he saw two men in the shop who he recognized to be Da Silva called `Scar Chest’ and another man, both of Riverview and who are known to Farley. The police said both men however managed to escape by running into the Riverview area.
Police later visited Da Silva’s home and they said that he handed over some of the foodstuff allegedly stolen from the shop. Da Silva’s family however said nothing of the sort happened. Police said Da Silva was then told that he would have to go to the police station at which time he picked up a cutlass that was nearby and chopped Farley to the back of his head. The police rank intervened and he, too, was chopped on his left hand by Da Silva who then ran away, the police statement said. Da Silva was later found in another yard at Riverview and upon seeing the police it was alleged that he attacked one of them with the cutlass and the rank then used his firearm to fend off his attacker. The police said despite repeated calls for him to desist, Da Silva continued firing chops at the rank forcing the police to discharge rounds at him which hit him in his chest. Relatives said that Da Silva had surrendered before he was shot dead.
