Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday distanced himself from the recent promotion of the two police officers who had tortured a teenaged boy at the Leonora Police Station in 2009, saying that the Police Service Com-mission (PSC) would have made this decision based on a recommendation made by Acting Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud.
“I have nothing to do with the Police Service Commission. That is a constitutional body, they make decisions in their own right, on their own judgment, based on a number of records and so forth. Clement Rohee has nothing to with the Police Service Commission,” he said when faced with a question on the issue after a PPP/C press conference yesterday.
The Guyana Police Force remains silent as questions continued to swirl about the circumstances surrounding the promotion of Mohanram Dolai and Narine Lall. Sources told this newspaper yesterday that there are other officers who have been embroiled in controversy, one in another torture case, on the list of promotions.
Narine Lall was promoted from sergeant to inspector while Mohanram Dolai was promoted from constable to corporal.
While the criminal matter ended because the teen and the other witnesses failed to show up, a High Court judge found the two ranks liable and awarded the teenager $6.5 million in damages. The State eventually paid the sum.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had also publicly acknowledged that the teen had been tortured and expressed regret at the incident.
Rohee told reporters that while the duo may still be “on the job”, his ministry does not interfere in a decision made by the commission.
“…On such matters… we have nothing to do with it. We do not interfere. That is a decision for the commission. Officers at that level are recommended by the Police Commissioner,” he said, while stressing that it is the commissioner who has to address the issue being queried by the press.
Ask if he will be raising the issue with Persaud, Rohee said “No I don’t intend to raise the issue with him. Why would I raise the issue with him? …These two men have been promoted by an independent Police Service Commission based on his recommendation. He is accountable to that.”
Several police sources told Stabroek News yesterday that it would have been Persaud who promoted Dolai as he handles all promotions between constable and sergeant. One source made the observation that Dolai skipped a rank, moving from constable straight to corporal as opposed to constable to lance corporal. The source said all promotions are based on merit and dedication to policing duties.
This newspaper was told that the commissioner would give a list of names to the six-member commission for promotions between the ranks of inspector to assistant commissioner. It was stated too that there are many police officers who ought to be promoted but are not because of internal conflicts; particularly if the officer is not liked because he or she went against a senior officer.
Reports are that one of the ranks held a post in the complaints section of an East Coast Demerara Police Station.
Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Khemraj Ramjattan who had represented the boy told this newspaper on Sunday that Rohee and Persaud needed to explain how it was that the two police officers could be promoted. Ramjattan said Guyanese should demand an explanation from the two while expressing surprised at the promotions in view of the fact that the officers were found liable.
In November 2009, Dolai and Lall were charged with burning the genitals of the then teen with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievous bodily harm. They were also charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Nouravie Wilfred. The duo along with Corporal Oswald Foo were also charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Deonarine Rafick, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him grievous bodily harm.
The offences were committed shortly after the teen, Wilfred and Rafick were arrested by police in connection with the murder of former Region Three vice-chairman Ramenauth Bisram. The teen was stripped and beaten before his genitals were badly burnt.
