The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended that an inquest be held into the shooting to death of Adrian Bishop by a policeman and while his mother is pleased with this development she is urging that it be done quickly so that she can get justice.
“I glad to see him (the policeman) get charge. It is a murder at the end of the day”, a still grief- stricken Adene told Stabroek News yesterday.
She said that she had heard that an inquest was ordered but no one has formally notified her. She expressed disappointment that to date no member of the Guyana Police Force has called her to apologize.
“It hurt me to know that he just get shoot stupid…”, she stressed while adding that she would have felt better knowing that he was taken to court.
According to Adene she is praying that “something will come out of this. I am satisfied that they order the inquest but things teking real long’, she added.
Contacted, Crime Chief Leslie James said that the recommendation was received about two weeks ago.
Bishop, age 25 was fatally shot on September 20, after a physical confrontation with his girlfriend, who is a policewoman, led to the intervention of lawmen.
Police had said in a press release a few hours after the shooting that at about 8 pm, ranks of a mobile police patrol responded to a report received from a policewoman that a suspect who was wanted for armed robbery had assaulted her.
“The police, accompanied by the (complainant), went to Hill Street, Albouystown, where the suspect Adrian Bishop of Garnett Street, Kitty, was pointed out to them. Adrian Bishop was informed of the allegation against him and was arrested and placed into the police vehicle,” the release said.
It was stated that while being transported to the police station, Bishop attempted to relieve an armed policeman of his shotgun and during the ensuing struggle a round was discharged and struck him to his neck. Bishop was later pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
Residents have since dismissed the police’s account as inaccurate, saying that Bishop had no weapon, did not put up any resistance and that the policeman pointed the gun at him before pulling the trigger. He sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead.
Following the shooting, the force’s Office of Professional Responsibi-lity (OPR) conducted an investigation and forwarded the file to Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority Justice Cecil Kennard for his input. The file was later sent to the DPP for her input and final recommendation.
