A member of the Berbice Anti-Smuggling Squad (BASS) was charged yesterday with killing a detainee during a recent raid.
Shafraz Khan, 40, of Lot 35 Hassim Street, Corriverton was arraigned on a charge of manslaughter before presiding Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court. He was released on $250,000 bail.
The charge stated that on July 3rd, 2015, at the Number 67 Village foreshore, Khan discharged a loaded firearm at Charles Caesar, thereby causing his death. It was reported that Caesar, 40, of Line Path, Skeldon, was with a group of men offloading illegal goods from a boat when they were busted by members of the BASS. Relatives had said that the men were reportedly told to lay on the ground but some ran away instead and a shot was fired. Members of the squad, after taking the men into custody, realised that Caesar was missing and returned and launched a search for him along with the police. Caesar was found bleeding profusely at the scene and he was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed while receiving medical treatment.
Stabroek News was told that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had advised the institution of a manslaughter charge instead of a murder charge because Khan never had any grievances with the deceased.
Attorney Adrian Anamayah, who appeared for Khan, told the court his client was performing his duties at the time the alleged crime was committed. He noted that Khan had been attached to BASS for over 19 years as a customs monitoring officer and yesterday was the first time he had to appear in court for an offence.
Anamayah, who sought reasonable bail, added that Khan has been cooperating with police and he had been released into the custody of BASS after being kept in police custody for three days. After there was no objection from police prosecutor Inspector Godfrey Playter, bail was set at $250,000. Khan is to return to court on August 27th, when the case will be called for report.
