Public confidence in the Guyana Police Force has been eroded over the past decade by numerous allegations of bribery, corruption, collaboration with narco-traffickers, extra-judicial killings, torture and other wrongdoing.
For this reason, the Force’s announcement on 20th October that it had launched an investigation “to enquire into the alleged murders which have surfaced during the court hearing of drug-dealer Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan” has been greeted with apprehension and despondency. The proposed investigation raises questions which suggest that the Police Force is not the appropriate institution for such a task.
The terms of reference, rules of procedure and the identities of the investigators have not yet been published. As Khan’s US court trial indicated, the investigation is very complex – involving narco-trafficking, money-laundering, gun-running and witness-tampering. Why limit the investigation to murders committed by two gangs? Who will determine the identities of the assailants? What legal powers do the investigators possess to command the attendance of witnesses? What expert technical and legal advice and what funding have been provided to the investigators to ensure that they could record evidence from sufficient witnesses or visit crime scenes to ensure that their findings would be credible?
Can the Police Force guarantee the safety of witnesses? It is a fact that George Bacchus – the self-confessed death squad informant and star witness – was shot dead on 24th June, one week before the members of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate the allegations against Gajraj were sworn in on 2nd July 2004. What protection from sudden death can the Force offer new witnesses?
Despite Khan’s decade-long, swaggering criminal career, the Police initiative has conveniently come only after he had been removed from the jurisdiction, sentenced in a US court to imprisonment for drug-trafficking, witness-tampering and gun-running and is least likely to be brought before a local tribunal. Why wait until he was gone to conduct an investigation? After all, Assistant Commissioner Seelall Persaud – who is leading the investigation – had blurted out two years ago in a flush of newness soon after being appointed, “We believe that Mr Khan was involved in narcotics trafficking.” Why didn’t he start the investigation then?
Further, two government officials should be able to assist the police in their investigations. One, former Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj, had to be summoned by a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate his alleged involvement in “promoting, directing or otherwise engaging in activities which have involved the extra-judicial killing of persons. ” The other, Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy, as recent evidence has revealed, might have authorised the sale of electronic eavesdropping equipment to Khan on behalf of the Government. Has either one been summoned?
Similarly, four Commissioners of Police – Laurie Lewis, Floyd Mc Donald, Winston Felix and Henry Greene – and several Heads of the Criminal Investigation Department including Leon Trim served during the troubles on the East Coast when the gangs were rampant. Moreover, several serving senior police officers such as Assistant Commissioner Steve Merai were actually involved in shooting incidents which resulted in the death of suspects. Evidence also emerged that several policemen − including Sean ‘Backup’ Belfield and Paul Rodrigues − had collaborated with the convict Khan. Shouldn’t Persaud start by summoning them as witnesses?
The recommendations of many better structured commissions of inquiry – such as that of the Disciplined Forces Commission – have been disregarded. What prospect is there that the recommendations of this investigation will be taken seriously?
The Police Force has never evinced the commitment to prosecute notorious, murderous narco-traffickers and is not now competent to conduct such a complex inquiry. In fact certain present and former police officers should be investigated for their roles in the criminal violence over the past ten years.