Almost a month after his son, Akeem, was fatally shot by a policeman on Main St; Oswald Andrews says that his efforts to meet with senior police officials have proved futile and he now hopes to speak to the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA).
Andrews said he has heard nothing from the law enforcement authorities regarding any investigations. He told this newspaper that he wants the matter to be thoroughly investigated. Akeem’s relatives have maintained that he was shot because of a problem that he had had with the policeman.
Police have said that the rank was passing while two men were robbing a couple and upon witnessing the robbery, went to the assistance of the victims during which he was attacked by the two perpetrators causing him to use his gun. Eighteen-year-old Akeem Andrews ended up being shot to his left side of his forehead.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud had told Stabroek News last month that following investigations the file will be sent to the Police Complaints Authority for recommendations.
But Andrews said that he has not been told anything by the police since the incident. He stated that when he attempted to meet with senior police officials he was given the runaround.
He related that he had attempted to meet with Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene but was sent to the Divisional Commander, who sent him to another official. He said that since the incident, only a statement was taken from him.
He declared that he wants a proper investigation to be done as he said “police siding with the man”. He said that the policeman had no right to shoot his son in that manner. “Even if it was a robbery, they suppose to hold me son and put he before the court”, he stated. “I want the law to look into this thing seriously…they ain’t investigating this thing to the fullest”.
The upset man declared that the shooter took the law into his own hands. “You can’t kill people just so”, he stated adding that if it had been the son of someone of means “it woulda reach far, far”. Andrews said that he was pressing forward with the matter and is hoping to meet with persons from the GHRA.
Crime Chief Persaud had told this newspaper that the police had gotten statements from both of the robbery victims. In a press release, issued after Akeem died, the police had said that they were investigating an armed robbery, which occurred at about 10:10 pm on April 11. 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 had stated that investigations revealed that Kwamina Whyte, 28, of Timehri, East Bank Deme-rara, 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. The statement said that 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 … forehead. The other managed to escape”, the statement had asserted.
The injured man, who was identified as Andrews, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he succumbed the next morning 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.
Persaud had pointed out that the police have statements from both of the persons who were robbed and 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 Prose-cutions to decide on the way forward, he had said.
