Dear Editor,
The Guyana Police Force is responding to a letter that was published in the Stabroek News of September 8, 2008, under the caption ‘Police did not respond,’ a copy of which was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police.
In the letter to the editor which was purportedly signed by Rebecca Mohamed of 65 Pearl Village, EBD, she expressed her dissatisfaction with the response of the police at Timehri Police Station towards a report she had made.
Rebecca Mohamed stated that while returning to her home at about 0015h on September 5, 2008, she observed “three shadows” inside her home. As a result she called the police at the Timehri Police Station on 261-2222 with her cell phone and it rang out. She later called from her neighbour’s home and the police rank who answered told her that there was no driver for the vehicle available at the station at that time and that she would have to wait until later in the morning. She also said that her father called the station later in the morning and was also told that no driver was available by another police rank.
It was subsequently found that a compressor and $23,000 were stolen from the house.
This matter was investigated following receipt of the copy of the allegation by the Commissioner. The police ranks who were on duty at Timehri Police Station on the night of the incident all denied having received any phone call from any female in relation to a burglary as stated by Rebecca Mohamed. A rank acknowledged receiving a telephone call about the burglary from a male caller but denied responding that no driver was available at the time.
During the investigation Rebecca Mohamed gave a written statement to the police in which she stated that upon approaching her home on September 5, 2008, she heard noise coming from the building and looked through a window and saw two youths whom she recognized as being from Pearl Village. She then went to her neighbour and told her what was happening during which time the two perpetrators escaped.
In her statement Rebecca Mohamed further stated that she did not report the matter to the police because she recognized that they were children. She however went to the children’s mother who denied that her children were involved in the matter.
She also stated that she later telephoned the police at Timehri Police Station and reported the matter and that police ranks came and she took them to the house where the two suspects lived and they were arrested by the police. In her statement she made no mention of any police rank telling her at any time that there was no driver for the vehicle available at the station and that she would have to wait until later in the morning.
The story outlined in the letter to the editor of the Stabroek News attributed to Rebecca Mohamed conflicts with what she has stated in her written statement that was made during the investigation. However, investigations were conducted into the report made by Rebecca Mohamed and two youths, 12 and 14 years of age, of Pearl, EBD, were later charged with burglary committed on her home. The matter was subsequently dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Yours faithfully,
Ivelaw Whittaker
Public Relations and Press
Officer, Guyana Police Force
