Dameion McLennon, the Cadet Officer who is accused of attempting to cover up the police killing of 23-year-old Quindon Bacchus, has been released on $250,000 bail.
McLennon, 35, of Lot 975 Pattensen, Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was granted bail following an application in the High Court heard by acting Chief Justice Roxane George.
According to a statement from McLennon’s attorney, Bernard DaSilva, his application for bail was primarily based on the ground that on the day in question his client was called by senior ranks within the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to act as support for the team that was assigned to carry out the operation.
It was additionally argued, according to the statement, that “the allegation of ‘ATTEMPT’ intends to implicate the defendant – he allegedly used his firearm in the operation. The defendant stated that he did not. This is the core contention.”
Another ground that was argued by DaSilva was that his client was only the driver of one of the Force’s vehicles and that he was “not on the scene at the time of the shooting.”
On July 5, McLennon and two other ranks from the GPF had appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in a city court where they were initially remanded to prison after being charged with various offences stemming from the fatal shooting of Bacchus.
The Cadet Officer and another rank were charged with obstructing the course of justice.
At the initial hearting, Police Prosecutor and Assistant Superintendent of Police Neville Jeffers had told the court that on June 10, 2022, at Haslington, ECD, McLennon was a part of the team that conducted the ill-fated sting operation and had submitted a statement on the killing of Bacchus.
In his statement, McLennon allegedly said that his firearm was in his possession at all times and that he did not fire any shot. But, he said he had loaned two rounds from his pistol to one of the other ranks.
However, the prosecutor contended that two spent shells were found at the scene of the shoot-out, amongst others, and based on ballistic tests that were carried out, it was revealed that they were fired from McLennon’s pistol.
Jeffers had also told the court that although the officers claimed that Bacchus had fired at them, when checks were made on the firearm that the victim had in his possession, it was revealed that the gun was not in working condition.
Bacchus of Golden Grove, ECD was shot dead on June 10 during what police had claimed was a sting operation that went awry at the Haslington New Scheme, ECD.
The initial report from the police on the shooting had said that information was provided by a 22-year-old construction worker that later led ranks to Bacchus, who was in possession of a firearm at the time and who had intentions of selling it to one of the plain clothes ranks that was undercover.
However, during the handing over of the gun, the police said an alarm was raised and Bacchus suddenly ran in a southern direction while discharging a round in the rank’s direction. The police said the rank then took out his service pistol and returned fire and Bacchus was eventually shot during the ensuing shootout.
Video evidence contradicting the claims by the police led to an investigation conducted by the Police Complaints Authority, which had resulted in Lance Corporal Kristoff De Nobrega being charged with murdering Bacchus, and McLennon and Lance Corporal Thurston Simon being charged with attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
