Almost seven months after three policemen were charged with maliciously wounding suspects during a murder investigation, the case is still to be heard with the next court appearance scheduled for September.
The case drew national and international condemnation after it was revealed that a 15-year-old boy had his genital area set afire by the policemen. The case is being heard at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Nyasha Williams-Hatmin and no evidence has yet been taken in the matter.
Sergeant Narine Lall, Constable Mohanram Dolai and Corporal Oswald Foo were charged last November. According to the charges brought against the trio, on October 28, at the Leonora Police Station, they unlawfully and maliciously wounded Deonarine Rafick, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievous bodily harm.
A second charge against Lall and Dolai alleges that between October 20 and 29 at the Leonora Police Station, they unlawfully and maliciously wounded Nouravie Wilfred. The duo was also slapped with a charge of felonious wounding, which alleges that they unlawfully and maliciously wounding the 15-year-old boy, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievous bodily harm. This incident allegedly occurred on October 28 at the Leonora Police Station.
Wilfred, Rafick and the teen had been arrested following the murder of retired Region Three vice-chairman Ramenauth Bisram. A wounded and battered Rafick was charged with the murder, remanded to prison but later released after it was determined that a confession statement reportedly given by him, which was the foundation of the case against him, had not been given freely and voluntarily
Wilfred was released after having been in police custody for a week. The teen had been severely burnt in his genital area and it was only after the case was reported in the media that he was taken to the hospital. His case drew international condemnation with the matter raised at the United Nations Human Rights Council.
On the last occasion when the case was called in court, this newspaper was told that there were no witnesses and it was put off until September since the magistrate is expected to go on leave soon. September would be 11 months since the case was first called in court.