Cecil Sampat, the man who succumbed on Wednesday almost two weeks after he was allegedly shot following a police chase in the city, died as a result of sepsis caused by gunshot injuries, an autopsy confirmed on Friday.
His sister, Erica Tullaram, who witnessed the autopsy, confirmed the findings to Stabroek News.
Tullaram said it was revealed that her brother was shot four times about his body and not three as the family was initially told.
“The one that went in the lower back. He had one that went in the side, the right side that punctured the lungs and the other one in his leg. He keep telling us that the police shot him when they pull him out the vehicle but today we confirm that. The two bullet that shot in in his right leg, that broke his leg also was the two bullets that we got when the police took them out and shot him. So it’s four,” Tullaram explained.
She said Sampat suffered damage to his intestines, kidneys, and lungs as a result of his wounds. “There is nothing that could have saved him…everything was torn up. There is no way he could have survived that. Everything was damaged,” she added.
One of Sampat’s companions on the night of the shooting, Winston Fraser, 27, was also shot and injured. He remains hospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) with a bullet lodged in his spine. His condition is listed as stable.
Although it has been two weeks since the shooting took place, no official statement has been issued on the case by the police.
On Thursday last, Commiss-ioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie told Stabroek News that the case is currently under investigation and the police are working to bring the investigation to a close.
Tullaram had also told this newspaper that Hoppie told her that the police were doing everything in their power to get to the bottom of what transpired. She added that he also assured her that justice will prevail.
This newspaper has seen a police incident report in which law enforcers claimed that around 1.30am on Saturday, July 25, three police officers on patrol observed a large gathering at the junction of Agricola Road and the East Bank Highway. The officers approached the crowd and requested that they disperse. It was during the dispersal that police witnessed a fight between two men, one of whom whipped out a gun and pointed it in the direction of the other while trying to make his escape in a car bearing registration number PYY 4432.
As a result, the police say one of the ranks sent out a transmission over the force network while they chased after the vehicle. The pursuit took them through South Ruimveldt, Cemetery Road, Hadfield Street and Vlissengen Road. The report further stated that other patrols were dispatched and proceeded to locate the car, which was eventually found at D’Urban Street and Mandela Avenue. It was said by the officers in the first patrol vehicle that when they arrived at the scene, the four occupants of the car they were pursuing, were lying on the ground. According to the report, several other GPF patrol vehicles were also at the scene.
The report did not state when or how the men were shot but that two men who were injured were escorted to the hospital by the police. The two injured men nursing gunshot wounds to their backs, were identified as Sampat and Fraser. It was noted that no gun was found in the car but there was one live round of ammunition.
The other two occupants of the car were 22-year-old Joshua Letlow, of East Ruimveldt, and 23-year-old Seon Greenidge, a block maker. According to the incident report, Letlow and Greenidge, who were interviewed, stated that they were in the vicinity of Houston when they observed a patrol car following them, which led Fraser to drive faster. After a chase through several areas in Georgetown, the men noted that they saw the same white police patrol car along with two other police pickups pursuing them. They men recounted that soon after they heard loud explosions similar to that of gunshots behind them after which Fraser and Sampat said they were both hit. Fraser drove the car for a little bit more before coming to a stop at Mandela Avenue and D’Urban Street.
‘No chase’
However, according to Tullaram, Sampat told to her that “there was no chase” leading up to him being shot.
Sampat, Tullaram said, told her that he and his friends were drinking after work on July 25th, after which they proceeded to a drinking spot in Agricola. “They are drinking when they finish working and then they decide to venture off. The end up at a bar in Agricola drinking along with other persons,” she said.
While there, she said Sampat related that the police came and cleared the bar due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place and the nationwide curfew. “So everybody decide to go home. While they were driving back to Georgetown, they notice the same police vehicle driving behind them. So they ain’t take it fah nothing. They continue driving,” Tullaram added.
She further related that Sampat said that a few minutes after, they weren’t seeing the vehicle anymore and they continued driving. “They came in town, they check other places but they were close up. My brother then told them ‘Man y’all drop me home. I had enough’. So that’s when they were going to drop him in Festival City, where he lives… They were coming and the police come like head to head collision with them, they just came out and start shooting up the car,” Tullaram said.
“What my brother told me is that when they dragged him out, they told him to get up and he was trying to tell them that he can’t move, he can’t feel from his waist down and they start kicking he up…but after they keep beating him, he said he start getting like you know, angry and he start behaving bad and that is when they shot him two more times,” she further explained.
Tullaram also alleged that the police tried to “intimidate” the family while Sampat was hospitalised.
“…From Saturday when that happened, the police tried to intimidate us. When I showed up here [hospital, because I refuse to move, I know—because they shot him wrongfully—I know the police are going to try something. The police was there and tried to get me out. They were trying to access his room and put us out,” she stated.
Tullaram noted that she refused to leave her brother side and this led to a confrontation between her and the police. “…And none of the police that came to do it had on badge with their name or number….I got so angry,” she said.
‘Cover-up’
Tullaram voiced her fear that it appears as though the police are doing everything in their power to cover-up what happened. “The police are doing everything in their power to cover-up it up… If it’s the last thing I do, I am going to fight them. It is not fair. Our brother—we are eight girls, he was the only boy—he is all we had… I saw him punish from the Saturday until he died. I was the one looking after him every day. It’s not fair,” she said.
According to Tullaram, the channel of communication between her and the police broke down two days after the incident. “At first, I could have gone to Brickdam and meet with them. I could have called and they would speak to me. After that Sunday, they stop taking our calls. When I show up at the police station, because they are not taking our calls… one time the say the officer is not there. The next time, they refuse to give me entry into the station. Every time after that, ‘til now. So almost two weeks after, we have not had an official statement from the police,” Tullaram stated.
A source within the police force had previously informed this newspaper that 14 to 17 ranks were detained while another source had said that the figure had increased.
Previously, only three police officers were listed as being under close arrest. They were Corporal 19899 Cort, Constable 21499 St. Louis, and Constable 21447 Prince.
It remains unclear whether these ranks remains under close arrest.
However, Tullaram said she was informed that they were back on duty. “…We are told that they are working. I am preparing to bury my brother next Sunday and they are back on the job and the police cannot issue a statement up to now,” she said.
Since the shooting, Tullaram said the family, through its lawyer, has written to several officials including the Commissioner of Police, and the divisional commander.
She added that they also sent a letter to Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) Justice William Ramlall and met with him two days after. Tullaram said that Ramlall reportedly told her that the PCA has commenced an investigation into the matter.
