The teenager who was hogtied on Thursday after he was allegedly caught stealing at Parika, East Bank Essequibo, and three men, are due to appear in court today.
The teenager was severely beaten and hogtied after he was found among a group allegedly stealing vehicle parts. He remained in police custody over the weekend and a police source said that they will be taken to court today.
The boy, said to be 16, was among four persons who were beaten by Parika residents on Thursday over the alleged theft of vehicle parts and Commander of ‘D’ Division Balram Persaud had said that the boy would be charged and placed before the court shortly.
An uncle of the boy is also in custody and was also allegedly beaten.
A photograph of the child, who was placed in the back of a police van on Thursday with his hands and feet bound, was provided to this newspaper by some angry residents of Parika who observed his poor state.
The residents, mostly women who are vendors at the Parika market, had said that they were upset that the police were transporting the child in that manner and had demanded that he be taken for medical attention.
They had also said a man who was in the vehicle at the time had admitted beating the child and others but he was later released after being held by police.
Commander Persaud had told Stabroek News that the men were well-known in the area for stealing vehicle parts and that some of them were before the court for similar charges.
When he had been asked if any of the persons who had beaten the men were going to be arrested, he had indicated that the persons at the time were protecting their property and could not be arrested.
Relatives of the teen said that he was held along with two of his uncles and another man who worked for them. They said they were told that the men would be charged with attempting to commit a felony and would appear in court today.
