The police have wrapped up the AK-47 probe and while the case file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who was implicated will face disciplinary charges.
Blanhum told reporters yesterday morning that investigators dealing with the matter have recommended disciplinary charges for the ASP and other ranks who were on duty on the night of the incident. On the other hand, he said, the police corporal was likely to face criminal charges once legal advice was given.
Last Tuesday morning, several members of the Guyana Police Force were placed under close arrest after they allegedly smuggled the high-powered rifle out of the TSU compound.
This newspaper was reliably informed that acting on information received, the police on Tuesday morning conducted an operation, during which they followed a car that had just left the TSU compound. The car was intercepted at Carmichael Street and during a search, the high-powered rifle was discovered.
The driver was promptly searched and taken into custody. During questioning, he reportedly implicated a corporal and the ASP. Records on the driver’s phone revealed that during the time the car entered and left the TSU compound, several calls were made to the corporal. It is alleged that the ASP colluded with the corporal to sell the weapon.
Blanhum also disclosed, “So far the police have been encountering some difficulties in restoring the number on the firearm and on that basis it’s very difficult to state whether the weapon is the property of the Guyana Police Force,” he admitted to reporters yesterday.
However, he stated that what is definitely known is “based on the general appearance, it is not the property of the force but still we would like to have the number to see if it was lodged with the police.”
Asked whether the high-powered weapon was used in any crime, the Crime Chief responded, “So far, based on ballistics testing, no.”
Back in 2009, the ASP was among three policemen who were charged with stealing millions of dollars they had retrieved from the suspects held for a robbery/murder.
While a Cadet Officer, the ASP was among the policemen who held a roadblock at Schoonord, and allegedly took a black bag containing $5.8 million from Shawn Ageda. However, when the money was later lodged at the police station, it only amounted to $1.5 million.
Following this incident, the now ASP was interdicted from the force but was later reinstated after no evidence was given against him and his accomplices during the trial.
Meanwhile, according to information received by Stabroek News, shortly after the 2009 incident, an individual who was arrested with an illegal firearm had told the police that it was given to him by the ASP. The officer was questioned and placed under close arrest but was allowed to return to duty owing to insufficient evidence against him.
