The Supreme Court Registry was channa-bombed early yesterday morning as part of a coordinated campaign in the city, dealing a heavy blow to the judiciary which is currently pushing a sector-wide reform programme including the computerization of its records.
Salvaged: Records which were pulled from the burnt court building yesterday. (Iana Seales photo)
It was the first known arson attack on the Supreme Court and Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Carl Singh yesterday condemned the incident as a dastardly act. Chancellor Singh referred to the Court as a symbol of constitutional order and the rule of law, and declared that the perpetrators launched an attack on the rule of law.
Police Commissioner Henry Greene yesterday said the attack was carried out by members of the same group that set fire to the Health Ministry in July. A fire sparked by channa-bombs levelled the Ministry of Health’s main building and an annex at Brickdam, destroying decades-old records, vehicles and a string of key divisions in what was a major loss for the health sector.
The attack on the century-old Supreme Court facility is reported to have unfolded sometime before 3 am yesterday and it resulted in the destruction of records in the northern section. It is unclear whether the records destroyed had been computerized, but an employee told Stabroek News yesterday that it was not likely given how far back some of the records went. It was reported that three armed men stormed the building and held the two female security guards at gunpoint after being confronted. Incendiary devices, some of which were apparently prepared on the spot, were recovered at the Court and a trail of channa was visible when law enforcement officials showed up shortly after.
The burnt-out northern wing of the Supreme Court Registry yesterday, hours after the attack. A member of the Guyana Fire Service (with cap) interacts with an employee of the Court while others look on. (Photo by Iana Seales)
Based on the accounts of the tramautised security guards, the attack lasted a few minutes as the men quickly surveyed the Court and decided on an angle from which to hurl the bombs. Several of the bombs were flung into the Registry by the men, who fled in a waiting vehicle. Flames erupted within minutes due to the heaps of books and papers, and quickly ripped through the northern wing, but a prompt response from the Guyana Fire Service contained the damage to that section. However, firefighters were forced to pry open heavy grill work to enter the burning building, resulting in considerable damage.
In the aftermath, charred walls and stacks of burnt volumes of records stood as grim markers of the attack. The burnt-out section reeked of an acrid odour yet many staffers pressed on with a massive clean-up exercise, some wearing protective face masks. Water damage was also visible everywhere in the section. “It is not only hard to come to grips with, it is hard to be in the general area and have your nostrils locked off from this air,” an employee said as he carried several charred volumes of records to dry out on the lawns of the Court.
Clearing out: Employees of the Supreme Court yesterday in a clean-up exercise in the Registry following an attack on the Court.
Auditor General (ag) Deodat Sharma and a team from his office were on the scene yesterday surveying the damage. He told Stabroek News that his office is expected to examine such scenes and document them as part of the public record of what has been damaged.
The general atmosphere at the Court yesterday was tense as employees questioned why the Supreme Court was targeted and who was likely responsible. “This is bizarre and you have to wonder why the Court, what is there specifically to destroy. Or was it just to create panic?” a staff member asked.
The general business of the Court continued as per normal with matters being heard before a few judges, but the Registry and a few other sections were closed to the public. The real impact of the blaze is expected to be felt within the coming weeks when an accurate picture of what has been destroyed emerges. “We are certainly concerned because there is no record of anything of this nature occurring within this Court, people are obviously tense,” another employee of the Court commented.
The Supreme Court yesterday shortly after the attack. The scorched area in the photograph is where the attack was launched. (Photo by Tarick Pertab)
President of the Guyana Bar Association, attorney Teni Housty referred to the incident as an attack on the foundation of the judicial system and said that it must be looked upon with concern. He called for a prompt and thorough investigation. Housty pointed to the current initiatives to reform the sector saying that “incidents such as these” cry out for a back-up mechanism of the court records which includes computerizing the records. According to him, the incident reveals the urgent need to implement stronger emerging management tools.
Housty said the incident shocked him as “it did the judicial community,” recalling the burnt records and the state of the damaged section when he visited the Court shortly after the attack.
In tears: One of the two female security guards at the Supreme Court breaks down while relating her story yesterday to Capitol News reporter, Royston Drakes. (Joel October photo)
Three men have been charged with the attack on the Health Ministry, but Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has publicly stated that the fire was orchestrated by a ring of “intellectual authors, planners and actors,” all working within an established network. Greene yesterday reiterated that the police was still awaiting assistance from the US government to locate the suspected masterminds behind by the attacks. “We are still requesting their assistance to trace those persons in the United States,” he said, “We have not gotten that as yet.”
We will now hear about the intellectual authors, the actors, the planners…the rum drinkers, the school children, the masons and the tales from the CRYPT….I am fed up with the lies from the government…and like I said before no one will gain from these acts but those who are already in trouble (torture trouble).
Leave your tales from the crypt and concentrate, Sandy.
The ones who will gain from this are the ones who stand no chance of winning by democratic means.
Well said, Satish! Their signals will be picked up. It will all come to light one day…AGAIN.
This is all in an effort to stymied development, scare away investors and tourists, and then point fingers…that the country is in chaos and is not being developed. What a shameless, despicable, cowardly and bullish group of folks!!!
S.F. what are you talking about the crytid zoo?
SATISH AND DUDE…WHERE THE HELL YALL TOO BEEN WHEN WE WERE COMMENTING ON THE TORTURED TEEN???????!!!!!!!!!
Mr. Greene, get a life! If you know the people who attacked the Supreme Court are the same that burnt the Ministry of Health why don’t you have them in custody. As Crime Chief you presided over the worst crime spree. As Commissioner of Police you presided over the worst crime spree. It is time you collect your pension and go home.
Democratic means is your code for ethnic voting Satish. But I hope you are right.
SANDMAN, what i don’t get according to the PpP apologist is why would the opposition or regular criminals was to burn that section of the court? Is there a big case or cases coming up. SOmething ain’t right here.
Again Satish and Dude and others it is the opposition who is responsible for this crime wave…they are the intellectual Authors. Oh PpP apologist your world and excuses are coming to and end.
Well said Satish
SHF, I understand that you seem to have nothing constructive to do and would be in a slumber ever so often. However, if you miss my blogs on the tortures, you should not be in such a rage as to pass judgment.
I condemmed that torture and all tortures. Torture is simply unacceptable in any society. By the way, what methods of interrogation did you learned in the army??
Satish ! This has nothing to do with elections but, moreso, about those who are stealing from the country, including state lands. Leave no trace. They know the ship is sinking.
The ship did not sink when Burnham took out the whole bottom it will sink now….
To the guys here that responded to Sand’s comment, I am not taking sides nor attacking anyone we are reasoning. I notice u guys are speaking about “stymied development” and other things. I have two questions for you guys to answer: (1). What is development without security? (2). Why a sensitive place like the Supreme Court Registry, a gov’t bureaucracy is so vulnerable to security bleaches? I await your answers.
Owen123…can you email me the protest pictures please.
HA! HA! Soldier. Good call and very apt.
Satish I complement you on your discription of the GoG and its officials…LOL….guyana is on the MOVE TO MORE CRIME…AN MEE APPY GUYANA IS IN GOOOOOOOOOD HANS
This is so S I M P L E,the govt has traitorers in the system, so the ARSONISTS knows exactly where to BURN.
The blinds would see this.
Mr. Georgie ever notice how you always have a comment to make about what people say but never have one to make of your own.
Come on, start using your brain, and put together something useful for the other bloggers.
Nationalist whenever I make a statement, it is always pointed and substantive. Go back and check the archives. But , I see that I got under your skin as I can destroy any of your comments in one sentence. The silly comments that permeates on this forum as meaningful discussion is pathetic.
Georgie: “The silly comments that permeates on this forum as meaningful discussion is pathetic.” Yet you continue to contribute. So what does that make you and your comments.
“The court is a symbol of constitutional order”, says Justice Carl Ashok Singh.
Sir, I beg you not to insult the intelligence of the Guyanese people. The courts have not been in constitutional order for quite sometime and most especially not under your leadership.
SATISH,DUDE,SOLDIER, HAVE TO KEEP THEIR BLINDERS ON because they are afraid to face reality….GO BACK TO HOME SWEET HOME..SERVE your President and PROTECT yourselves.I may be wrong but just have a good look at the targets…Message to the police “U AH De BIG BAD BULLY! WE IS De MAD!MAD!MAN” I still believe that its a message to those responsible for un-just treatment of the poor….GoG cannot conceal its criminal activities much longer….The world is watching….
THANKS SN.
How can Greene jump to the conclusion that the forces that set the fire to the Medical building are the same forces that torched the High Court? This man shows no sense of proportions or temperance in his chatterings. Does he realize that his statement can impact the trial of those charged with the Medical Department fire? Or does he not care? He is reckless and out of control but doing the bidding of the government after waiting years to be confirmed as Commissioner. Sad.
Greene will continue to crow. He has crowed for the fourth time (?). Let us await another ‘I know not the man’. Looks like GY has too much channa to go around. Now according to Freddie, and I support him FULLY on this one, suspicions are ABUNDANT! How many distractions when this government is on fiya? Someone list them for me!!
Greene knows who did this within … what?… 4 hours? Now let him tell us who shot Ms. Van Beek!!!
Mr Greens had too much at the QC reunion. Mr Greens probably knows who killed John Kennedy but can’t travel there to prove his case.
Thats the head of the Police force what else you expect from junior ranks. These people don’t investigate no crime just make a whole heap of speculations. real foolice
Greene spewing a whole lot of nonsense. It is amazing how fingers can be pointed this easily. What is the motive?
HE KNO WHO SET FIA; BUT HE NA KNO WH BY SPY MACHIENE….Greene! is BUSCUIR send TENNIS-ROLL,BREAD an CAKE fu set fia pon yu foolice when dem sleepin b-kaz dem tekin example from de SLEEPIN president an dem put de coat pon fia b-kaz plenty file duz lass pon de way to coat-OUSE…dem bois jus tink…WAT DE HELL! there is still nothing to loose dem files lass a-ready…
My heart goes out to the security however that is a high risk job which needs the highest level of security especially the shift and location.
imagine a building that hold the records of the land peoples transport, criminal records and such like is left at free will to the public with limited security, poor lighting no cameras …….. the PPP GOG really got Guyanese especially we Indians fooled and guess what next election we gon put them in power again. long live the PPP.
i wonder which records they really wanted to destroy or is we sympathy they want to vote them in again?
Najbar, you are the only honest person on this blog today. I agree with you a 100%
This is a strange target does it house on going cases that someone doessnt want to come to court. Shame on the attackers for trying to destroy history
Just look at what this report has done to the torture of the lad and the other methods of brutality to the prisoners in police custody. Knocked it off its position of prominence. People please wake up.
The terrorst shooters want to play hero with peoples’ achievements and property ? All gon end up dead… The string pullers themselves ignorant like the riff raff lumpen who tape a boy nostrils and mouth and kill he…
aint reddy playing dead to see what funeral he will get. aint reddy this is vintage pee pee pee in action my friend. after all these years they have not learned nothing new. come on in these modern times people are not easily fooled. this is the age of the net. people the world over have more access to new from different sources. many like you need to confirm with the modern development.
It’s revolution time Reddy.
Reddy…just shut up read the blogs and be quiet! If not go in the corner put you finger on your lips and turn your face to the wall.
This fiah is a classic example of the government trying to move the torture case from the forefront of the news to the backburner.
I posted the picture of the burnt child on CNNs iReport yesterday, but it was removed after a few views as being too graphic. Daily pressure needs to be maintained and the story needs to be kept alive on this issue, if not it will fade away.
This is the smoking gun that needs to be shown worldwide on the atrocities going on in Guyana in the name of the LAW.
Reddy, RK not there to assist and keep the peace (tongue in chhek). Let’s see what Rohhee and EverGreene can do.
some folks in high places are in fear of knowledge which were going to be circulated. wow – the supreme court…now that really show what state the country is in…the supreme law of the land….what a display of total disrespect for the laws of guyana.
Commissioner Greene was unable to offer a motive for the attacks but with the positive identification of Thierens and Jones in this attack and the attack on the Health Ministry, he is noting a linkage. Well-done Mr Greene.
With MY thinking cap on, I can surmise arrest of a prominent suspected criminal who I cannot name for fear of the moderator’s axe, prior to both of those attacks.
Mr Greene may have to look again at his intelligence reporters who identified Thierens and Jones in Suriname.
CLEARLY NOT SO, MR GREENE.
Who has the patent for channa bomb making?
yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Commissioner of police seems to know the people who burnt the ministry and now the court. Why are these people still on the streets, especially when they represent such a grave threat to public safety and state property? I also notice that the commissioner solved this crime within minutes/hours and without torturing a suspect into a confession. I guess he is getting better at his job.
Sarcasm aside, I hope they truly find the people who did this and put them in prison for a very long time.
The government had to get the torture story off the wire services. This has done it. It will kill all criticism from of the government since we are dealing with a terrorist threat.
If you clear your vision Bora,,,you will follow the pattern of these attacks on the Government as it happened before, their primary motive here is to beat the iron when its hot and have people like you making frivilious comments to show what a bad state Guyana is in,,,This is an act of terriorism and must be dealt with accordingly…
Soldier, indeed there is a pattern in these attacks. I am attemping to put it in braille form for you.
RK sentencing – MOH smokescreen fire.
Torture trial – Court house smokescreen fire and shooting.
You can predict the next fire.
Amen.
Well said Cummins. Is like President Jagdeo who accused the
AFC of dealing in drugs and he never order the police to
investigate the leadership of the party.
Guyanese are not so silly as not to know that the attack on the registry represents a disgust with the tainted judiciary.
When a system enables a select few while dispensing others, especially unfavourably, then there is bound to be discontent, and now malevolence.
Too many things are wrong in Guyana.
This is commical. Within hours of the attack the comissioner has determined that the same people who set the fire at the Health Ministry did this. This is coming from a Comissioner, who has several unresolved cases in his hand. As I said again, this is history repeating itself. The PPP government has learnt very wee from the PNC government. Innocent people who oppose this corrupt Government would end up in prison on trumpt up charges.
i agree with you mack.
A lot of people are going to be shot on sight even if they drop their guns and put their hands up.
Mac Guyana as a selective crime clear up rate GPF can solve crimes without evidence. But can not solve things right under their noses
Mack ! The COP had to know who carried out the acts. Do you want a photo to see who was at the planning session ? It is sure a way that some people would definitely know who were the perps. Think!
Yes Mack it is the same elements who started the MOH fire started this court house fire. The Commissioner is correct.
How dare you say otherwise. He knows what he is saying.