The Home Affairs Ministry says the shooting death of a construction worker alle-gedly by a member of the Belle Vue Community Policing Group will be investigated with “the expectation of having a satisfactory outcome.”
On December 19, a construction worker, Godfrey Jhaggroo was shot in his head minutes after a heated argument with his neighbour. Jhaggroo was headed to the Wales Police Station to file a report against the neighbour who had lashed him in his stomach with a piece of wood when he was confronted
and shot on the West Bank Demerara Public Road.
Harry Rajpat, 20, a member of the policing group, was charged with murder after turning himself in at La Grange Police Station a few days after the shooting.
According to eyewitnesses, members of the community policing group were drinking in the neighbour’s liquor shop when the argument took place. Eyewitnesses also alleged that Jhaggroo was shot by one of the community policing group members who was drinking in the shop.
Rajpat had allegedly fled the scene of the murder, leaving his father, Jhaggroo’s neighbour and the owner of the gun that was used to kill Jhaggroo in police custody. The gun was owned by the chairman of the Belle Vue Community Policing Group.
In a statement, the Home Affairs Ministry, expressing regret at Jhaggroo’s killing, said that it was completely against any form of dishonorable conduct that would tarnish the image of community policing in Guyana.
The accused, Rajpat was charged with murder before Magistrate Clive Nurse at the Wales Magistrate’s Court on December 23. He was remanded until February 20.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Jhaggroo died from injuries to his head that was caused by a shotgun.
Godfrey Jhaggroo, 20, of 31 Bell Vue, West Bank Demerara leaves to mourn his four sisters and four brothers and a four year-old daughter.
