As investigations continue into the fuel scam involving police from the Ruimveldt station and fishermen, senior officers visited the koker at Versailles, West Bank Demerara yesterday.
The cops were seen selling fuel to a fisherman around 3 pm last Wednesday. Stabroek News was at the koker when the blue and white boat with ‘Police 1’ marked at the side, pulled up.
It turned back quickly but this newspaper was told that it was still around and when the reporter went a little farther to get a closer look one of the policemen was observed removing a six-gallon jar of gasoline from the boat and handing it to a fisherman. According to reports, the cops would sell the gasoline for $5,000, which is $1,000 cheaper than the price at the gas stations.
Stabroek News was told that it was a regular “business” between the cops who were assigned marine duties, to crack down on illegal activities in the waterways, and the fishermen.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had confirmed that the police force’s Office of Professional Responsibility has launched an investigation into allegations.
Reports are that since the publication of the news item the police have not been seen visiting the koker or patrolling the water.
According to additional information reaching this newspaper yesterday, the cops would sell as much as 20 to 25 gallons of fuel per day, pretending that it was used up while they were out performing their duties.
It was also revealed that in an even more brazen act, some of these fishermen would visit the Ruimveldt station to purchase the fuel. There are also reports that a senior female officer was involved in the scam.
“She knows what is going on but if she don’t go with them she don’t get money. So sometimes she does go on the boat with them [cops] too,” according to sources.
A senior police source had told Stabroek News that based on how the ranks operated, they seem to have been engaged in this practice for a while.
He said they were so brazen and confident that not only did they commit the offence in daylight but they used the police boat and were dressed in their police uniforms.
