The police are currently unable to locate the police corporal who was fingered and subsequently placed under open arrest in connection with the AK-47 rifle which was smuggled out of the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) Compound, Eve Leary, one week ago.
Stabroek News understands that Corporal Shavon Marks, who was placed under open arrest on Monday, after his initial detention period expired, reported sick and left for Berbice and has not returned to date.
Information revealed that while on open arrest, Marks was confined to the Brickdam Police station where instructions were given for him not to leave the compound. It is not clear how the corporal managed to leave the compound, but several efforts made by the police to contact him have proved futile.
Different divisions have since been alerted about the corporal’s disappearance and requested to be on the lookout for him. However, it is unclear if they were provided with a photograph of him which will aid in such.
Last Tuesday morning, five members of the Guyana Police Force including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) were placed under close arrest after they allegedly smuggled the high-powered rifle out of the TSU compound. On Friday, three of the ranks were allowed to go about their daily lives under open arrest while the two others, including Marks, remained under close arrest with police supervision.
On Monday, while Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum had told reporters that the police had completed their investigations and the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal advice, he had also disclosed that the Corporal was placed under open arrest and that the investigators had recommended disciplinary charges for the ASP and other ranks who were on duty on the night of the incident.
Marks was supposed to appear in court that very day, but was a no show.
Blanhum had 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.”
However, he said, “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 had responded, “So far, based on ballistics testing, no.”
This newspaper was reliably informed that acting on information received, the police conducted an operation last week Tuesday, 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 Marks 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.
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.
The police today issued the following release on the matter:
The Administration of the Guyana Police Force wishes to confirm that Corporal 18404 Shevon Marks who was under investigation in connection with a high powered rifle and who was under confinement at Brickdam Police Station, has since escaped and all efforts are on stream to locate him.
The Force has noted certain adverse insinuations in the public domain, facilitated by certain sections of the media but wishes to assure that this case is not being treated differently from other cases where members of the Force are alleged to have committed grave offences, as our history is replete with examples of members of the Force being placed before the Courts for serious crimes.
It must be emphasised, for the information of the less informed members of the Media, that members of the Force who are under investigation for various offences are placed under close arrest for a period of seventy-two (72) hours and thereafter under open arrest, in a confined/restricted manner until the legal advice is obtained.
The disappearance of this Subordinate Officer, based on initial enquiries seemed to have occurred sometime on Sunday night last but was officially reported to Police Headquarters about 1500h. yesterday.
In the circumstances, the Office of Professional Responsibility has launched an investigation, as directed.
