Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, said that it will take “good detective work” to determine if there were any connections with dead bandit Kelvin Shivgobin and the four ‘B’ Division policemen whose numbers were found saved in his cellphone.
“Phone numbers of policemen could very well be in criminals’ telephone. It doesn’t mean that the policeman is complicit with the criminal…So although indeed a certain policeman’s phone number was found in the criminal phone, the connection now that they were complicit is what the police will have to investigate. That as you know is going to be very difficult but whatever it is, I am absolutely certain that, that set of difficulties could be surmounted by good detective work,” Ramjattan said.
He was at the time addressing questions asked by reporters after an event held at his Brickdam office yesterday morning.
However, the Security Minister said that he would not be surprised if the allegations are indeed true, since the issue of rogue elements within the Force has been addressed in the past.
“…The security sector of almost every country would have some complicity sometimes with rogue elements…law enforcement and criminals. If that is the case here well I wouldn’t be surprised,” Ramjattan said.
Ramjattan further explained that he wants further investigations to be conducted to determine the truthfulness and authenticity of the allegations.
“…And of course to get those who might be involved criminally prosecuted. That’s illegal but I am certain that in view of what is being regarded as whistleblowing, that indeed these must be investigated,” he said.
He said that every complaint of the police should be investigated and those found culpable, regardless of their rank, should be prosecuted.
“Every complaint, whether it comes from quarters that are more regular that is written statements about certain policemen dealing with criminal activities…once these things happen, the policy is investigate them thoroughly and if anybody, policeman— whether a popular policeman, high ranking policeman— if he has to be charged, charge him,” he said.
Ramjattan explained that to date he has not been briefed about the allegations by Commissioner of Police Leslie James.
James, when questioned about the allegations last week during a press conference hosted at his Eve Leary office, had refused to divulge details, while stating that an investigation is ongoing.
On Monday, this newspaper had reported that numbers of four policemen stationed in ‘B’ Division (Berbice) were found stored in the cellphone of Shivgobin, who was killed in the recent shootout at Black Bush Polder.
Some of the accused policemen’s colleagues have since called for an independent investigation since they had said that the four ranks are engaged in corrupt practices and are being aided by a senior officer in the Guyana Police Force leadership.
One of the four was identified as a corporal, who is stationed on the Lower Corentyne, and he was allegedly receiving payoffs to tip off the now dead man whenever the police were closing in on his location. It is said that he was paid as much as $800,000.
They believe that the corporal and Shivgobin became close during a murder trial, which ended with the accused being released due to a lack of sufficient evidence.
After those proceedings, the man was never rearrested although he was wanted in connection with a double murder and several robberies. It is believed that the corporal acted as his mole in the division and tipped him off whenever the police received information about his whereabouts.
Shivgobin was also wanted by the police for the murder of Bush Lot brothers Premcharran and Harricharran Samaroo, who were fatally shot during a robbery at their mother’s house on December 31st last year.
Shivgobin, also known as ‘Kelly,’ 32, of Belvedere Village, Corentyne, was killed along with Ramnarine Jagmohan, 33, of Belvedere Squatting Area, and his brother, Tameshwar Jagmohan, in a shootout with police.
