The relatives of a 26-year-old gold miner are calling for a thorough investigation as they are alleging acts of police brutality against him by ranks of the Mahdia police station.
The man, Sheldon Fletcher, popularly known as ‘May Man’, is currently in police custody and is expected to face a series of charges relating to robbery with aggravation and escaping from lawful custody.
Regional Commander of Region Eight, Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston, yesterday told Stabroek News that he is not aware of any case of police brutality in the division.
When the allegations were put to him by this newspaper, he stated that Fletcher was arrested and later escaped from police custody and was recaptured. He said that there was no reason for ranks to beat the suspect.
Fletcher, who is from Mahdia, will be attending court today to answer to the charges, the Commander also informed.
The accused’s partner, Afriana Humphrey told Stabroek News that family members have not been able to speak with Fletcher since he was taken into custody.
She stated that calls to the police station have gone unanswered and efforts to speak with the station sergeant were unsuccessful as the calls were disconnected.
Humphrey told Stabroek News that last Thursday she and her boyfriend were outside a bar in Mahdia when a policeman who was also at the bar, walked up to Fletcher and grabbed him by his pants waist. She stated that the rank was not in police uniform and it was unclear if he was on duty at the time since he was also partying at the bar.
“He come and grab he and say ‘you know how long we looking for you’ and he tell my boyfriend how he wanted for some robbery. My boyfriend tell he [the policeman] he don’t know what he talking about and tried to wriggle out and them two end up fighting and my boyfriend get away,” she recalled.
She explained that after the fight the policeman directed threats at her boyfriend.
Further, on Saturday night while Fletcher was on the road, she said that the rank who initially attempted to apprehend him proceeded to chase after him and indiscriminately fired shots at him. At the time other civilians were on the road.
“I wasn’t there but my friend call me and explained what was happening. She told me that the police ran behind [Fletcher] and he got away and when he come around they drive the police vehicle and hit him down. That is how they get he,” she explained.
She claimed that when they arrested her partner, the police officer beat him and did not take him to seek any medical attention.
Humphrey also claimed that he was not given any food to eat.
“He tell we they beat him and kick him up and take to the station and then throw water on he while he was there. The next morning he get away,” she related.
According to her after Fletcher got away he contacted his family and related what had transpired. She stated that after they were informed he had escaped from police custody, they encouraged him to travel to Georgetown where he would have turned himself in, accompanied by his lawyer.
“But they catch him at the junction [Mabura] when he was coming out and they tied him up and transport him back to Mahdia and they beat he again. They tie him up and put him on a four wheel bike [ATV] in the hot sun.”
After being taken back into custody, Humphrey said that her boyfriend was not taken to receive any medical attention. She said that it was only after she made a report of police brutality to the Police Complaints Authority and contact was established with the station that Fletcher was taken for medical treatment.
