He was unhurt, relatives said. Immediately after being freed at around 4 pm yesterday, Wilfred was whisked out of the city by a relative. He had been held at the Leonora Police station for the past week since being detained last week Tuesday. Police had said that a file had been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
Even though he did not bear any wounds, he was slapped about by police a relative said. His family had earlier expressed concern about his safety after revelations that a 15-year-old boy was tortured by police at the Leonora Police Station. The teenaged boy, who was also held in connection with the murder, was doused with a flammable liquid in his genital area and set alight while in custody at Leonora last week. He remains hospitalized.
The other person who had been detained for the murder was Deonarine Rafick, who has since been charged. He appeared in court on Friday and during his court appearance displayed signs of a beating and had a gaping wound to his head which required stitches. He also alleged torture.
Following the publishing of a photo of the tortured 15-year-old in the Kaieteur News, two policemen have been detained and were expected to be charged yesterday and are to appear in court today.
Meantime, yesterday, Shirley Thomas, the mother of the 15-year-old boy says that he is recovering but she does not know the extent of his burns since she has heard little from the doctor.
Thomas says her son “is much better than how he went in” but up to yesterday she had not heard from the doctor about the degree of the burns he suffered. “Nobody ain’t telling me nothing,” she said. Thomas explained that her son is now off saline and although he is still in pain he is moving his upper body and eating and responding well. She however expressed her concern over not being told the extent of the burns he suffered since she is yet to meet the doctor and the nurses say that they can’t give any information.
And while Thomas is being kept in the dark on her son’s condition, she says only he is being told what his condition is like. Thomas says she expects to speak to the doctor today so as to ascertain his condition.
Meanwhile, Thomas says that her son is relating “piece, piece” of the ordeal he endured. He has told her how he was burnt and he also said that he was stamped in his stomach. She said her son said they “pound up he ear” but checks by the doctor cleared the possibility of any ear damage.
Thomas is scheduled to meet with Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand today. She was supposed to meet with the Minister yesterday but was unable to do so. Thomas said that the meeting with the Minister was scheduled after staff from the Ministry visited her son, who is in the Burn Care Unit of the Georgetown Hospital.
According to accounts, the boy was tortured at the Leonora Police Station and could be heard screaming by residents.
