Relatives of the teenager, who was fatally shot on Main Street on Saturday by a policeman, have vowed to pursue the matter and Crime Chief Seelall Persaud says that following investigations the file will be sent to the Police Complaints Authority for recommendations.
Relatives have alleged that 19-year-old Akeem Andrews was deliberately shot by the policeman, with whom he had a feud but according to the police, the young man was involved in a robbery when he was shot.
Oswald Andrews, the father of the teen told Stabroek News that he visited the office of the Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene yesterday but did not get to see the top cop. He said that he was told to return later today.
The grieving man said that since the incident, the police have not taken a statement from him and when he visited police Headquarters at Eve Leary yesterday, he was sent to the Brickdam Police Station but no statement was taken. He declared that the family plans to pursue the matter up to the highest levels. “This thing is murder”, he asserted while denying that his son was involved in a robbery.
Meantime, Persaud, when contacted yesterday said that the police had gotten statements from both of the robbery victims.
The police in a press release on Sunday had said that they were investigating an armed robbery, which occurred at about 10:10 pm. The police said that during the incident, one of the two perpetrators was fatally shot by a policeman, who is also a licensed firearm holder.
The release stated that investigations revealed that Kwamina Whyte, 28, of Timehri, East Bank Demerara, and a female friend were sitting on a bench on the Avenue of Main Street when they were confronted by two men armed with knives. The men held them up and took away a cell phone and $6000 from Whyte and a handbag containing $4160 and documents from the female.
According to the statement, a policeman was passing at the time and upon witnessing the robbery, went to the assistance of the victims. “The policeman was attacked by the two armed perpetrators causing him to resort to the use of force during which one of the men was shot to his left side forehead. The other managed to escape”, the statement asserted.
The injured man, who was identified as Andrews, was taken to the GPH where he succumbed on Sunday while receiving treatment. The knife he used during the incident and the handbag which was stolen from the female victim, with its contents intact, were recovered at the scene, the police had said.
Yesterday Persaud said that the woman’s bag was recovered from Andrews when he was shot. He said that the police have statements from both of the persons who were robbed. He noted that in a case like this, investigations will be conducted and a file would be sent to the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority for him to peruse and make recommendations. The file would then be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide on the way forward, he added.
Relatives of Andrews have alleged that he was deliberately shot by the policeman, a Presidential Guard. They said that there was a feud between them.
Oswald had told this newspaper that Akeem and another son, Keith, had problems with the man, which arose after someone was robbed in the community two months ago and the man’s brother was named by them as the robber. Andrews said that the man was held and was released on bail but ever since the man had threatened that he would get even with the brothers. He said that the shooter, who he named, grew up in the community and was known to them.
A post-mortem examination on Akeem’s body is expected to be done today.