Residents of Dartmouth on the Essequibo Coast yesterday protested and lit fires on the main road as they contended that the policeman implicated in the killing of shop owner, Orin Boston should have been charged with murder and not manslaughter.
On Friday, Sherwin Peters, a member of the police SWAT team was charged with manslaughter over the shooting of Boston in his bed on the morning of September 15th last year. Peters is alleged to have been the one who fired at the unarmed Boston. Peters appeared before a magistrate in Georgetown and was placed on $1m bail. Villagers had already been incensed over the length of time it had taken for a charge to be brought.
Early yesterday morning, they called for justice for Boston and burnt tyres, cardboard and tree branches.
When Stabroek News arrived on the scene many persons were stranded by the protest. Schoolchildren and workers who had to pass to go to the extreme north of the Essequibo Coast were prevented from doing so. Drivers attached to businesses had to turn around as they could not pass the huge fire.
Teachers and students were also affected. The protestors told the media that they want justice for Boston. They said that the SWAT member implicated should not have been granted bail.
“We will not stop until the matter is called again and we get justice, we waited so long for this to happen and now this? We will not stop until”, a resident warned.
Meanwhile, Essequibo Police Commander Denise Griffith said that police are on the ground to monitor the situation. No one was injured during the protest and the demonstrators eventually dispersed. Griffith said that police tried reaching out to the Boston family but at that time they refused to speak with anyone.
Father of the deceased, Orin Boston Senior, told the media that he will not stop the protest until his son’s case is given justice. The father said that his son was shot in his sleep by the police constable and no arrest warrant was issued. He also said the lawyer in the case, Nigel Hughes will be challenging the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the advice that was given to charge Peters with manslaughter.
The father said the family continues to live in fear and it is not fair that someone who allegedly shot his son is walking free on bail. He said that relatives will not be silent and called for immediate action and a re-hearing of the case.
Boston’s widow, Feona was overcome with grief yesterday and could not speak to the media.
Boston was shot during an alleged anti- crime operation. The SWAT unit was reportedly searching for prohibited items in his house. Nothing illegal was found during the raid. An investigation into the shooting was conducted by the Police Office of Professional Responsibility. Boston was a father of two young children and operated a popular bar “Ease Meh Stress”.
The police had forwarded the file earlier this month to the DPP’s Chambers for legal advice and it was returned on Thursday.
In a statement after the shooting, the police had said that ranks from the SWAT unit were conducting the operation at around 4.40 am during which they went to the home of Boston to undertake a search.
During the search, the police said, there was a “confrontation” between Boston and the police, resulting in him being shot—an account immediately refuted by his wife.
Boston was rushed to the Suddie Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy later revealed that Boston died as a result of haemorrhage and shock due to gunshot injuries to the chest.
Dartmouth residents had also blocked the road and set fires in the days following the killing of Boston.
