Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack said yesterday that her decision to recommend that no charges be laid against Magistrate Gordon Gilhuys in the shooting of a policeman two months ago was based on the deficient statements sent to her.
She also revealed that the Cpl Mark George, the policeman involved, had written requesting that no criminal proceedings be taken in the matter, since it was not in his best interest.
In a press release issued yesterday, Ali-Hack also emphasized that on the night of the incident, four persons had used firearms and George never said that Gilhuys had shot him.
In the release, which was issued in response to articles published in the Stabroek News and the Kaieteur News last week on her recommendation, Ali-Hack said, “as usual no one sought to get a comment from the DPP”. Stabroek News had in fact left messages at the office of the DPP for comments on various matters including the Gilhuys case, but never got a response.
“For the media and all those who wish to hastily criticize,” Ali-Hack said, “I wish to state categorically that my opinion was based on the statements sent to me by the police and nothing else,”
She said George had stated that the magistrate fired a shot but it did not hit him; he never said who had shot him and that in the end Gilhuys’ vehicle bore six gunshot holes.
According to the facts presented to the DPP: “The police in an unmarked vehicle approached a parked vehicle on Woolford Avenue. Corporal George who was the first person to exit the vehicle was not wearing police regulation uniform.”
She revealed that the medical report on the injured rank said there was “gunshot injury to the left flank and abdomen”, but this was not useful and despite a request by her for particulars of the injury, none was supplied.
Questions about whether there was one wound or two, the calibre of firearm used, whether there were two entrance wounds or one entrance and one exit wound to help determine the direction from which the bullet came and whether a bullet was found to help determine from which of the four firearms it came, could not be answered.
The DPP said the police had stated that they were assigned to patrol the lower East Bank and were returning to base when the incident occurred. “There was no proper explanation as to why the police diverted from their route especially as there was no evidence of the police having any reasonable suspicion of the commission of a criminal offence where the incident occurred so as to explain their presence there,” she said.
She added that though George’s request not to proceed with criminal proceedings was not binding, “it merits serious consideration which was accorded”.
On June 26, the rank and his colleagues were on patrol on Woolford Avenue when they noticed a vehicle with tinted windows parked on the roadway. The officers made checks and an argument ensued between them and the driver, who was later identified as Magistrate Gilhuys.
It was at this point that the magistrate reportedly opened fire, which was returned and George was hit.
The magistrate subsequently made a report at the Brickdam Police Station but he refused to hand over his weapon. However, he parked his vehicle, which had about six bullet holes, in the station compound. The magistrate then appeared at the station the following day accompanied by his attorney Nigel Hughes, and after spending several hours, was released on self-bail. He also lodged his weapon at the station.
Following the shooting, the magistrate had said that he was first shot at and that he returned fire.
Shortly after the shooting, the magistrate proceeded on annual leave and has not returned to the bench.
Other magistrates are now handling his cases in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court as well as in the court in Linden.
Last Thursday, Police Commissioner (ag) Henry Greene told the media at a press conference, that he had just learnt from Crime Chief Seelall Persaud that the DPP had recommended no charges but that he had not seen the file.
When contacted later, the injured rank had told this newspaper during a telephone interview, “I don put this matter behind my back”.
something is not right, i tried reading between the lines and i am not getting it. the big question is, WHAT REALLY WENT ON THAT NITE. when bandits shoot ppl the ballistics department always say which weapon fired the round, how come they cannot say when one of their own got shot.
SOMETHING IS FISHY.
…………………the laws of Guyana………………the DPP…………..is very important and you will understand why some do notwant the laws to change……………is this a free and fair Government………………..the poor will always be taken advantage of……….and people in high places would walk…………….and all is said and done…………….they come to America to live for the rest of their life…………ckeck their status and you will see………………….the country soon fall down below……………oh!!!…………my little country Guyana…………….how……..?……..and what ………..?……………..Oh………….Guyana……………you children are crying………
Quote “She added that though George’s request not to proceed with criminal proceedings was not binding, “it merits serious consideration which was accorded”.
I hope that he did get a substantial compensation.
Compensation to thwart Court proceedings is nothing new in Guyana;
Try that in North America and see the results…both parties get charged !
…………………Veecock both would have to answer……………………..one of the most dancerous things to do is try to infulence prosecution, the prosecutor, or the juror…….you gone to jail and still have to answer latter charges…………take note where and how the decision was made………..and look at the infulence……..it will happen again and again……………….poverty is a crime and I do understand it now………..
HELLO EDTIOR ,CAN U RELAY TO OUR GUYANESE FAMILY BACK HOME IN GUYANA WHO MAY HAVE FAMILY IN THE TURKS AN CACIOS ISLANDS ,BRITISH WEST INDIES , WHO MAY NOT HAVE MAKE ANY CONTACT WITH US, VIA CELL PHONE ,THE REASON THEY CANT GET US ON THE DIGICEL . NET WORK IS DOWN.DUE TO AN HARRICANE THAT WE AS PASS THROUGH THE NIGHT IT WAS AN CAT ,1 HARRICANE WAS LOTS OF RAIN AN HIGH WIND,S UNTO 72 MPH, ,SO JUST IMFORM OUR LOVE ONE ,S BACK IN GUYANA THAT WE ARE SAFE ,THANK U
OUR HEARTS GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY AT THIS TIME WE ARE WITH U IN YOUR SAD TIME MAY GOD GIVE YOU THE CORRAGE TO HOLD ON
i dont know how the DPP could question
the police men route if it was criminals in that suv i wonder what the DPP
would have said its amazing how things work in guyana as for the police
officer he got something to hide he almost lost his life and now saying
he put that behind him Hmmm…..
That woman not in her rite sense,she is questioning the police route,what she is saying that if the police is not assign to patrol certain areas then if they are passing and a crime is being commited then they should turn a blind eye and move on, SHAME ON THE PPP FOR BEING THE GOV”T OF THE DAY AND HAVE SOMEONE LIKE HER AS DPP.
It shows how those with money and well connected in society are above the law
The DPP said that she made her decision based on the statements sent to her and nothing else…how unsatisfactory.
What ever happened to the fact that Gilhuys had a firearm that was not licenced?
What about investigating if the police gun thru ballistics, shot Mark George or if it was Gilhuys’s illegal firearm that shot him?
These and lots more questions should have been asked and investigated by the DPP. The DPP should never say “and nothing else” when there is so much more else…
I don’t care as much that Mark George did not want to have a story with the court, that’s his decision, but in the interest of the general public, Gordon Gilhuys should have been charged if laws were broken. This being done or not done should not be depending on IF George wanted to press charges but on the laws that were been broken.
We need a new DPP, Shalimar Ali-Hack needs to resign. I guess this means that Gordon Gilhuys will resume working as a magistrate soon…I bet.
macky why you crying it’s your govt who did this.
so it now ok to shoot at the police once you are some government official.
why my comments are not being publish ? is the stabroek now sensuring like the guyana government, the very thing they were subjected to.
John, maybe if you learn to spell “Censure” correctly they will publish your articles. :)
Acd9100 people with money and power usually protect each other.