Shaka Chase, the suspect in the murder of police corporal Romein Cleto, was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital for medical attention on Saturday following accusations by relatives that he was beaten and tortured into confessing that he had done the crime.
Last night, attorney for the suspect, Nigel Hughes, told reporters that when his client makes his first scheduled appearance in court today he will be highlighting the allegations of torture. In addition he stated that several alibi witnesses for Chase, whom he accompanied to the Criminal Investigation Unit, Eve Leary, were told that their reports could not be taken because there were no officers on duty.
Efforts by Stabroek News to contact police officials yesterday proved futile. Phone calls to both police spokesperson, Ivelaw Whittaker and Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell went unanswered.
The 26-year-old East Ruimveldt resident was re-arrested a second time last Thursday night in connection with the investigations into the shooting three weeks ago which also resulted in two policemen being wounded.
A close relative of the suspect who did not want her name mentioned said that during the afternoon on Saturday, Chase was taken to the Georgetown Hospital by his lawyers with a visibly swollen face and numerous wounds about his body.
She said that two policemen had visited the hospital to take him back to police headquarters but relatives insisted that he had to receive medical attention first. She said that the ranks backed off and once he had received the medical he was transported to the station at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
The relative told Stabroek News that he managed to tell her that the police had “beat he bad…(and) shock he up”. The woman said that ordeal had now left Chase nervy as he is just trembling all the time.
Police, she said, have not indicated if he will be charged or released from custody.
Relatives had told reporters outside the CID located at police headquarters on Friday night that ranks barged into the man’s home on Thursday. They opined that Chase was being targeted because of his dreadlocks.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud had earlier that day said that police had arrested a suspect who might be taken to court today. He said that police were looking for three other persons including one who was put on bail and who never reported back.
Chase’s arrest came two days after police in a response to a newspaper article said that a prime suspect had been identified but had not yet been arrested.
Initially police had said that they had two prime suspects in the matter. One was arrested along with Chase who turned up at the police station in the company of his lawyer. The two were arrested although the second prime suspect had not been arrested.
Meanwhile, a woman who says that she was coerced into signing a statement that she knew Chase and that she saw him at the crime scene at the time of Cleto’s murder yesterday retracted it. She told this newspaper that while she is fearful for her life she is willing to testify in court that she had signed the statement under duress.
On April 27, Cleto was shot dead while constables Randy Daly and Anil Rajpersaud were injured when gunmen opened fire on them on Avenue of the Republic in the vicinity of Regent Street.
The ranks at the time were on a routine patrol when they reportedly spotted a suspicious white car on Avenue of the Republic in the vicinity of Robb Street. The occupants did not heed the police’s instruction to stop and were eventually forced to halt at the traffic light on the opposite side of the road. It was when the policemen were making their way to the car on foot that the occupants opened fire. Based on ballistic results two weapons including a rifle were used in the shooting.
