Home Affairs Ministry expresses ‘deep regret’
The horrific treatment and torture of a teen and two other men in the Ramenauth Bisram murder investigation was known by other police ranks but they were indifferent and complicit, and under investigation, some told lies and gave conflicting statements.
This was revealed as the eagerly awaited report on the suspects being tortured at the Leonora Police Station was finally released by the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday and the Ministry in acknowledging the confirmation of torture; expressed “deep regret” and said that every effort is being made to ensure that there is no repetition of such incidents in future. The Ministry also offered personal “deep regrets” to the 15-year-old boy and his parents and noted that torture is contrary to the Standing Orders of the Guyana Police Force and Guyana’s International Obligations.
The report- done by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR); outlined that events that occurred following the October 26 discovery of Bisram’s mutilated body in his Canal Number Two, West Bank Demerara home. It revealed that after being taken into custody in relation to the murder, the teen was stripped and beaten before being burnt in his genital area. It also showed that ranks knew of the torture and one assisted in blindfolding the teen while another rank denied that he impersonated a doctor.
A senior officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Wright -the Duty Office at the Leonora
Police Station on the night in question was identified as being aware of his subordinates’ actions, conversing with them several times. But he denied being present when the teen was burnt and told investigators that he only learnt of the torture, hours later. Another senior official, Superinten-dent Kissoon was also identified as being at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office on the night the torture was done, and Director of Public Prosecu-tions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack in her advice on the matter questioned whether he was a party to the violence meted out to the prisoners by the police ranks. She also questioned why he ordered all ranks to leave the Vreed-en-Hoop police station when the teen was to be examined.
According to the report, when he was taken to the Leonora Police Station from the La Grange Police station at about 4 pm on October 28, the teen was fine. He was taken to the CID office by Constable De Souza at 6:10pm, where he was interviewed by four ranks. According to the report, during the interview, the men covered the teen’s face with a jersey, which was secured around his head with scotch tape. Those identified as being there included Sergeant Narine Lall and Constable Mohanram Dolai, who have since been charged with the unlawful wounding and felonious wounding of the teen and Deonarine Rafick and Nouravie Wilfred – the three persons who were held for the murder.
Undress
The report revealed that the teen was told to undress and did so following which he was beaten with a hard object. Thereafter, his hands were bounded in front and he was put to lie on the floor and beaten on his feet. During that ordeal, he partly removed the jersey from his face but was simultaneously hit behind his neck by one of the policemen. The jersey was pulled back over his head and he was dealt a lash with a heavy object to his stomach, the report said. It also noted that De Souza said that he observed one rank beating the teen with a piece of wood and upon his return after leaving for a short while, the beating was still going on. De Souza said that the teen’s head was covered with a piece of cloth and he was instructed by a rank to secure the cloth with scotch tape around the teen’s head which he did and then left.
Meantime, while on the floor, the teen said he felt a cold substance being poured to the region of his genitals and upper part of the thigh. Simultaneously, he felt a burning sensation in the said area and screamed. He alleged that the said men removed the jersey and he saw the area of his genitals on fire, which was extinguished by the ranks, the report said. De Souza had, at this time, returned and saw fire in the region of the teen’s genital area which was being extinguished by the two ranks with pieces of cloth. While the teen was crying in pain, ASP Wright entered and spoke with one of the ranks, the report said.
Three eggs
The teen said that a fan and a gel were provided to him to soothe the burnt area. Immediately after, a man who identified himself as ‘Doctor Foo’ entered the Office with three eggs and advised him to apply the white of the eggs to the burnt area and he complied. But according to the report, Corporal Foo said that he visited the CID office at 8:15pm and saw the teen lying on the floor of the interview room naked and with what appeared to be burns about his genital area. A fan was generating air towards the burnt area of his body while ASP Wright and two ranks who were charged were sitting in the CID office which is adjacent to the interview room, Foo said. He admitted giving advice that egg white is an antidote for burns but denied giving any eggs to the teen.
The teen was told that he had to make a written statement in relation to Bisram’s murder and for fear of being further injured, he then made a written statement.
Following the ordeal, he was taken to the Vreed-en-Hoop police station escorted by ASP Wright, De Souza, and Lall in a vehicle driven by Constable Roberts. There, Corporal July was instructed to accept the teen and she observed that he had burns to the lower parts of his body. She drew his injuries to the attention of the charged rank but he insisted that the teen be kept. July made an entry in the Station Diary and informed ASP Wright and Sergeant Singh of Thomas’ injuries.
Meantime, in severe pain, the teen complained to the police and requested to see a doctor or his parents but this was denied. Later that day a brown bag was placed over his head and he was moved from the lock-ups to the Enquiries Office where he was seen by a man who he assumed to be a doctor. Medication was provided, which he applied to his injuries. That night, someone visited the lock-ups, instructed him to stand and took a photograph of the burnt area of his body. It was not stated in the report who took the photograph but it was the publication of it in the Kaieteur News that led to the teen’s plight being uncovered.
Minor
ASP Wright, who was the duty officer from 6pm on October 28 to 8am on October 29, denied being present when the teen was burnt or being escorted to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police station. He said that about 8pm on October 28, he visited the CID office and saw a rank taking a statement from the teen in the presence of De Souza. He said that around mid-night while in his office, he received information from the operations room that the teen, who had injuries to his lower abdomen was taken to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police station. According to him, he instructed Sergeant Clarke and Corporal Foo to visit and examine the teen but in their return, he was advised that the injuries were minor and he had received treatment. He did not inquire how the injuries were sustained but at 4:45am on October 29, on reporting the incident to Assistant Commissioner, Paulette Morrison, the Divisional Commander, he informed her that the teen was burnt with methylated spirits and matches by the rank, the report stated.
Morrison, meantime, acknowledged having been informed about the teen’s injuries by Wright but not about the seriousness and about his age. She said that she instructed Superintendent Kissoon to have the teen medically examined by the police surgeon Dr. Mahendra Chand. Kissoon arranged the medical examination for the evening of October 29; almost 24 hours after the teen had been burnt. He then strangely instructed that all ranks performing duties at Vreed-en-Hoop that evening be sent home or posted out to perform duty. At 6:30pm Dr. Chand examined the teen, who at the time was completely nude except for his head, which the medical practitioner said was covered, denying him identity of the person examined. Dr. Chand did not ascertain the identity of the teen neither did he question him regarding the injuries sustained, the report said. He recommended medication.
But Sergeant Singh, who was present when the examination was undertaken, in a contradiction of the Dr. Chand’s statement said that the teen’s head was not covered and the doctor questioned the teen about his age, name, address and how he sustained his injuries.
Meantime, also on October 28, Deonarine Rafick, who was charged with Bisram’s murder but later had the charge withdrawn by the DPP was also being held at the Leonora Police Station. The report noted that at about 7:20pm that day, Constable Phillips said, an unharmed Rafick was taken to the CID office by a rank, but on his return, escorted by the two ranks charged, she observed injuries to his head and he was taken for medical treatment at the Leonora Cottage Hospital.
Belt
Also on October 28, at 11pm, Nouravi Wilfred was arrested at Canal Number Two. He alleged that at the time of his arrest he was questioned about Bisram’s murder which he denied and was assaulted by one of the men charged for wounding him. He was taken to the La Grange Police Station where he was dealt him several slaps on his face. Later, he was taken to Leonora Police station, where he was further questioned by the same officer and after he maintained his innocence, the officer took a piece of wood and lashed him several times on his buttocks and simultaneously his head was slammed against the CID door by the other rank who was also charged. The rank accused him of smoking dope and later took him to the Enquiries Office where he wrapped a cow skin leather belt around his neck and attempted to lash him with a piece of wood, but he was prevented from doing so by a policewoman. Later a written statement was taken from him, in which he denied having any knowledge of Bisram’s murder and he was subsequently released, the report stated.
The report said that another man, Kishore Deonarine called ‘Pulla Boy’ alleged that while in custody at Vreed-en-Hoop police station, he was told by the teen that he was burnt at the Leonora Police Station, but he did not mention the names of the policemen. However, he observed the nude teen had burns to the region of his genital area. Though the teen was crying out for pains no attention was paid to him but at about 00:30 am October 29, he was provided with medication by Woman Corporal July. On the said night, an unidentified man took photographs of the injuries on the teen’s body with a cell phone. The man advised that he was an ex-policeman and cautioned that no one should be informed of his presence. On October 31, Deonarine was released having denied in a written statement, knowledge of Bisram’s death.
Three days after being burned and after a photograph was published on October 31, the teen was finally taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and referred to the Burn Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was admitted. On November 11, Assistant Commissioner Makhanlall visited the Leonora Police Station and observed what appeared to be blood stains on the floor of the interviewing room. After the police report was completed, it was submitted to the DPP.
Following her recommendations, Lall, Foo and Dolai were jointly charged with the felonious wounding of Rafick. Lall and Dolai were also charged with feloniously wounding the teen and further charged with the unlawful wounding of Wilfred. The DPP recommended that the charges be proceeded with summarily. She also recommended that Morrison be removed, which has since been done, and the ranks charged be interdicted from duties pending the outcome of the criminal charges.
It was also recommended that departmental action be taken against Wright, Kissoon, Lall, July, Corporal Fraser and De Souza and this is being done, the report said. The DPP also advised that further statements be taken from De Souza.
False statement
She advised that Corporal Fraser be charged for knowingly making a false statement in an official book, for making a false entry in the Leonora Station diary claiming that Wilfred made an oral statement after he had served copies of the teen’s and Rafick’s statements on him; knowingly being an accessory to an offence against discipline or connives at such offence for causing Constable Agard to make two false entries in the Leonora Station diary that Phillips visited the lock-ups and found all correct.
She recommended that a charge of omitting to carry promptly and diligently anything which is his duty as a member of the force, be instituted against July for failing to call Sergeant Singh for instructions before accepting the injured prisoners. Additionally, a charge of knowingly being an accessory to an offence against discipline be instituted against Sergeant Lall for causing a false entry to be made in the diary by McIntrye and the same charge against ASP Wright and De Souza “for they knew of the assault of the two prisoners or connived by simply not doing anything”.
The DPP also recommended a charge of omitting to carry promptly and diligently anything which is his duty as a member of the force, against Wright for not ensuring that Rafick received medical attention having observed a wound on his head and a charge of Conduct to the prejudice of good order or discipline for refusing to allow (attorney at law) Bernard De Santos to see his client at the police station.
The DPP also noted that Superintendent Kissoon stated that he informed CO Delph to have the station cleared of all civilians but CO Delph stated that Kissoon told him to send away the police from the station which he did. This was confirmed by the ranks who were told to return home. “Why did Supt. Kissoon give this instruction? Was he a party to the violence meted out to the prisoners by the police ranks? There are statements from ranks stating that he was at the CID office on the night in question. It is not clear as to whether he was there when (the teen) was burnt and it is therefore advised that he be disciplined for knowingly being an accessory to an offence against discipline or connives at such offence”, Ali-Hack said.
The DPP also noted that Morrison stated that she received a report from ASP Wright at 3am on October 29 about the teen’s injuries and later in the day instructed Kissoon that he be given medical attention by the police surgeon while saying that it was not communicated to her that the injuries were serious. “As a Commander she ought to have enquired and as such behaved negligently and incompetent as a Commander. It is therefore advised that she be removed as Commander”, the DPP declared. She also said that the conduct of Dr. Chand leaves much to be desired and advised that his statement be forwarded to the Medical Council for appropriate action.
In its statement yesterday the Home Affairs Ministry affirmed its confidence in the police’s OPR and said that it recognizes the agency’s efforts in fulfilling the mandated investigation in a professional and efficient manner resulting in the publication of the report. The Ministry also recognized the contribution and the advice offered by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) in respect to this matter.
“The Ministry…fully supports the advice proffered by the DPP in respect of the disciplinary and criminal charges to be made out against Ranks of the Guyana Police Force as well as the discontinuance of the charges against Deonarine Rafick and that no charges be made against both Rafick and Thomas at this time”, the statement said.
