Lance Corporal Kristoff DeNobrega, who is accused of fatally shooting Quindon Bacchus on June 10 during a police operation at Haslington, East Coast Demerara (ECD) is to be charged with murder.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in a statement yesterday said it has since advised the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to institute the murder charge against DeNobrega.
“The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) wishes to advise that it received the report and file from the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority Justice Retired William Ramlal on the evening of Sunday 3rd day of July, 2022. Justice Retired Ramlal recommended that one policeman, Lance Corporal Kristoff DeNobrega, be charged with the offence of Murder, contrary to common law, committed on Quinton Bacchus,” the DPP statement explained.
The decision to charge the presumed police shooter with murder will now undermine the GPF’s version of the June 10 incident where it had sought to argue that Bacchus had begun a shootout with members of the force.
The DPP yesterday also recommended charges against two other police ranks in relation to the incident.
Lance Corporal Simon and Sergeant McLennon are to be charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
Lance Corporal Simon is also be charged with the offence of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline.
The three are expected to appear in court today.
The development came one day after the DPP’s Chambers received the report and file in relation to the matter from the Chair-man of the Police Com-plaints Authority (PCA).
In a statement on Sunday, the PCA had said that the probe into the fatal shooting had been completed along with the statutory report to the DPP. The PCA said that copies of the report were to be sent to the officials designated by statute.
“I recommended to the Director of Public Prosecutions that three (3) members of the Police Force are to be charged. It is for the Director of Public Prosecu-tions to determine who is to be charged and what offences he/she/they is/are to be charged for”, the statement said.
Bacchus, 23, a father of one, was shot and killed by a policeman on June 10 at Haslington New Scheme, ECD.
The GPF, in a statement had said that at about 14:30 hrs ranks went to the Haslington New Scheme to conduct an operation based on intelligence they received earlier in the day. A 22-year-old construction worker had provided information, the police said, and later led the ranks to Bacchus, who was in possession of a firearm at the time and had intended to sell it to one of the ranks who was operating undercover.
The statement said the plainclothes rank, who was armed, made arrangements to purchase the firearm from Bacchus, who left and then returned with the gun. However, during the handing over of the gun, the police said an alarm was raised and Bacchus suddenly ran in a southern direction while also discharging a round in the rank’s direction. The rank then took out his service pistol and returned fire. Bacchus was reportedly shot during a further exchange of fire.
The GPF said Bacchus had a .380 pistol with a magazine that contained one round. The police also said that one .380 spent shell and two 9mm spent shells were recovered at the scene.
Bacchus later died while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital. An autopsy later showed that Bacchus died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.
The government, the police and the PCA had come under attack for not speedily addressing the killing of Bacchus.
Mushroomed
Last Tuesday, one of the regular protests mounted by Bacchus’ family for justice mushroomed into a large gathering that saw the East Coast road being blocked and fires being set. The gathering later began wending its way to Georgetown and at Mon Repos some of the protesters attacked, beat and robbed vendors there. On other parts of the East Coast that day, the police were accused of indiscriminately firing tear gas and rubber bullets during which some persons were injured.
That said morning, President Irfaan Ali informed the public that the PCA report was nearly finished. He had urged, to no avail, that the protesters leave the road.
Stressing that the system must be allowed to work, the President had said that the Chairman of the complaints authority had indicated that by (today) he would be in a position to provide his report to the office of the DPP.
He said that there was no basis for the protest on the road and called on the residents to go home.
Just after midday the said day, the PCA had also issued a statement calling for calm as it wrapped up its investigation. It said that a thorough probe was necessary.
Bacchus’s mother, Wonette Sandy had told Stabroek News on Sunday that she welcomed the decision by the PCA and only hopes that the DPP will recommend the right charges.
“I wish that all three of them get to face murder charges. I do hope good sense prevail and the DPP sees it that way,” she said.
