Dear Editor,
More than two years have passed since the robbery on November 9, 2016 at the Rohees’ place of residence at Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara.
Many valuables as well as cash were stolen by the armed bandits.
The following day, motor car PRR 514 was found abandoned in the city, the Police claimed that that was the vehicle that transported three criminals, two males and one female to the Rohees’ home.
The female involved in the crime was subsequently arrested, charged and placed before the Court.
Investigators claimed that fingerprints from the crime scene matched those in their records of two known male suspects.
Footage from security cameras identified the suspects and the motor vehicle that transported the bandits to the house.
Intelligence was provided to the police showing that another woman, who was employed at the Rohees’ residence, was an accessory to the crime, in that, she was the accomplice who directed the bandits to the house and facilitated easy access allowing the bandits to enter the home.
The matter took more than one year to be heard at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
The female accomplice was the lone suspect to appear before Magistrate Scarce.
The mother of one of the male suspects reported to Magistrate Scarce that her son, who was wanted by the police had ‘gone into the bush and that she never heard from him since.’
The police prosecutor reported to the Magistrate that the third suspect could not be found;
In Court, the Police Prosecutor questioned Mr Rohee on the basis of the statement he had provided to the police on the day of the robbery.
One of detectives gave lengthy evidence in Court focusing on the matching fingerprints of the two male suspects.
The case was put down to be heard at a later date.
Magistrate Scarce advised the Rohees that it was not necessary for them to return to Court.
Nothing has since been heard about the case nor about the police investigation.
Questions for the police:
Who did the abandoned car belong to, was it stolen or rented by the bandits?
Is the vehicle still being held by the police if not, why?
Did the police seek information from the GRA concerning the registration etc; and legal owner of the vehicle?
Were the number plates of the car fake number plates?
Why did the police not issue wanted bulletins for the two male suspects?
Why did the Police not alert the ranks stationed in the interior to be on the lookout for the male suspect whose mother claimed he had ‘gone into the bush?
Why did the police not go after the other female suspect whose name and address were provided with a view to arresting her for questioning?
Why did Magistrate Scarce advise the Rohees that it was not necessary for them to return to Court?
Why did the police detective place so much emphasis on the matching fingerprints and not on other matters of evidential value?
Having regard to the experience of the Rohees insofar as the investigative capacity of the GPF and the Criminal Justice System are concerned, one can very well imagine what was the experience of probably hundreds of Guyanese who suffered similar fates.
Yours faithfully,
Clement Rohee