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Burnt and beaten prisoner laid to rest

In a simple ceremony, prisoner Edwin Niles who died after sustaining severe injuries at the Camp Street jail was laid to rest yesterday.

Edwin Niles

The general consensus among his relatives at the funeral was that proper investigations could have been carried out into the ammunition allegations against him instead of “officers taking matters into their own hands”.

The body was at Sandy’s Funeral Home for viewing before being taken to Saint Andrews Kirk at Brickdam for a service and then finally to Le Repentir cemetery for burial.

Many quietly shed tears as relatives in song and simple speeches and scripture readings paid their final respect to Niles. Alliance For Change leader Rafael Trotman who made an appearance at the church service said that his presence at the funeral was to show that there are still persons in society who care about the welfare of the populace and are interested in seeing justice prevail. He emphasized that his presence, besides showing his support to the family, was to make a statement that justice must prevail.

Niles’ mother Brenda Nurse related to Stabroek News yesterday that the family had heard nothing from the relevant authorities concerning the investigation since the post-mortem was done.

Thirty-four-year-old Niles of Guyhoc Park succumbed to injuries he sustained after reportedly receiving a sound beating when he was found with a quantity of ammunition. He was reported to have had seven .22 rounds of ammunition in his possession after returning to the Camp Street prison from a day of labour at Camp Ayanganna. He was hospitalized for nine days before he died. He was serving a three-year sentence for narcotics possession and would have been released in September.

A statement from the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) had said that the man was admitted to the GPHC following reports that he had been beaten after he was found with the ammunition. Hospital sources had told Stabroek News that the man’s body bore serious lacerations and he had a broken arm as well as burns on his back. This newspaper had also learnt that Niles’ body bore several “black and blue marks”, which may have caused much internal bleeding. A post-mortem conducted later stated that Niles died as a result of a blood clot in the lungs due to burns about the back and a fractured left arm. Director of Prisons Dale Erskine had said earlier that he had received reports that Niles’ injuries were not life threatening.

Murdered

The issue has attracted much public comment. Opposition Leader Robert Corbin said that there was no question Niles was murdered and insisted that the police have an obligation to tell the nation what exactly happened and who was guilty of the killing.

Corbin has also since written to Acting Police Commissioner Henry Greene, stating, “at worst Niles’s death must be treated as murder while in custody of the prison authorities and at best, death under mysterious circumstances which require investigations.”

He had also stated that he was reliably informed that Niles had been beaten with a wooden baton and rubber hose and the burns he sustained obviously came from a hot liquid. Corbin also said that he received the information from independent sources and would go on oath with it.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has also issued a statement calling for an impartial and vigorous investigation into Niles’s death and for the matter not to be treated as exempt from the normal processes of the law because the Disciplined Services are involved. It also said that “charges appropriate to the severity of the crime should be laid promptly, if only to quell the rapid disintegration of official credibility on these issues.”

Meanwhile grieving relatives who were anxiously awaiting Niles’ release from prison in just two more months have expressed doubt as to whether they would get justice for his death.

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16 Responses to “Burnt and beaten prisoner laid to rest”

gyukb
on July 23rd, 2008 5:55 am

i don`t think we can expect any thing positive comming out of this case. it as long now being accepted that torture is away of live for presioner in guyana. .like many b4 him this administration will do nothing after all hw muc deos he worth to them. for the family of this guy my sympathy . but to expect justice is like asking satan to repent. and no way you will get that.
as for tortue by the joint services until now the report can not be release. why wat is big secret they keeping. that the guyana demacrocy that these people preach about . they are as much guilty as the convicts.
o guyana you have become land of the lawless. because of the many lords and kings we have.
don`t expect much justice when you go abroad if you can`t get at home.

[Reply to this]
Berkeley Van Bowen
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 9:20 am:
Even if we are to accept the Police’s claim that they were not involved in the beating of this prisoner. How does the officers responsible for guarding the prison explain not seeing or hearing this man being so brutally assaulted?

[Reply to this]
de canadianCarl Veecock
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 1:09 pm:
That is in the report Berkeley Van Bowen.

Trouble is that we will never see, nor read that report for it would shuffle from
one desk to another interminably, until all public interest wanes ( as is usual),
and everything continues unabated.

Such a clear case of brutality should be speedily dealt with, but I guess the
Presee is too busy with Sharma TV , the lie dectector tests, and the newspapers to intervene in this homicide.

Action is only taken when the Presee intervenes.

bgsbny
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 6:18 pm:
……. the theory of the psychologists,,,,, is that children live what they learn !!!!!!!!

the “presee” who/what ever that is,, grew up during the “regal reign”,, so i guess by extension ,, the child that is now “presee” is merely acting out what was ingrained in him from then,,, so too are most of the criminal elements of the society ,, both white and blue collar,, blue collar and petty thieves has poverty as their claim to infamy !………………….
Chemist
on July 23rd, 2008 8:25 am

I have read timelessly and witnessed how the Police Force and now the Army and Prison Services has racked up a track record of distrust. It is now up to them to change the public’s perception of their actions by coming clean. If they know of any shady members among their ranks, of which we all know they are many, expose them to face justice for their actions and help to save those few unblemished members who are willing to upkeep the laws of our land. I grew up in a Military family and always looked up to my parents who are people of integrity, their rank and uniform was looked at with respect not fear and scorn at it is today. Guyana is still a great country, we only need good, honest, leaders with commonsense and we will be back on track. “We can, We must, We will”. Remember that.

[Reply to this]
de canadianCarl Veecock
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 1:02 pm:
Forget the ideals. Reality is in force and that is what we have to contend with.

The shady cannot expose the shady.
Just pause on that thought for a moment.
If the bosses are shady, do you think that will expose the shady?
Not on your life.

Agreed ….”Guyana is still a great country…”. Note your word “STILL”

Our patriotism will not die especially when we are not in THAT LAND, but go
there and contend with the harshness and the brutality, then that ‘great’ might
morph into ‘downtrodden’, lawless, cruel, ignorant, and all the realities that are
ever so present to the citizens.

NO! Guyana is NOT STILL A GREAT COUNTRY.

It has lost its lustre and for us expatriates, it is but a pleasant memory that we
will keep with us as long as we live.

That change might come is a fervent hope.

LIVE IN HOPE i ALWAYS SAY

[Reply to this]
La vie est bonne!
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 1:24 pm:
Carl, not sure what you mean.
However, a country is only as great as the rulers.
What greatness do you mean?

malaika06
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 6:08 pm:
Mr VeeCock, do you want me to accept that there is NOT ONE DECENT man/woman in the Armed Forces, left with INTEGRITY, HONESTY and a sense of JUSTICE?

If that’s the REALITY, then God truly help us!!!!!!!!!!!

Roula
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 2:44 pm:
Some time I wonder what really UN does in Guyana? They are going behind Mugabe but there is a begining of Mugabenism right there in Guyana. The government is not strong enough to catch a “Finny” man, oppositions is not even able to come out with a speech that would transform a nation and the population is cought in the middle and the only alternative is to blame one party or the other.
How can someone dies in the prison and there is no proper investigation. What about the 8 miners? even the minister was killed and they could not catch the killers!
People take back what belong to you, school your kids and they shall set you free in the near future.

[Reply to this]
bgsbny
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 6:27 pm:
…….” school your kids ” ! highly loaded explosive phrase ! ah kno’ the FBI made a note of this……
finethings
on July 23rd, 2008 10:10 am

you are right gyukb Guyana is indeed the land of the lawless. justice is a word that has no meaning for the citizens of Guyana. The joint services and the police force is getting way with a lot of things.seeing that “fineman” is the most wanted they will do their dirty work and blame it on poor fineman. Next you will start hearing about skinny.his fame is soon coming.just imagine these wanted crimminals have millions of money for there capture.that is what our money is for. instead of giving it to the starved and hungry in guyana it is for reward to capture a crimminal. gyubk you might not even want to set foot in guyana because of the lawlessness. the high price for bus fare and commodities is killin us. WE ARE STARVING IN GUYANA AND THE GOV’T WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE U KNOW Y?

[Reply to this]
finethings
on July 23rd, 2008 10:23 am

my sympathy goes out to all the families of Guyana who has lost their loved ones unjustly. my heart goes out to you all. one day by the hooks or the crooks justice will prevail no matter how long it may take. god does not wear pyjamas.

[Reply to this]
de canadianCarl Veecock
In reply to the above comment on July 23rd, 2008 12:53 pm:
Live in hope I say.

I guess you mean that God is not sleeping ( reference your pyjamas).

Change and rectitude will not come in our lifetime.

We just have to live in hope.

[Reply to this]
malaika06
on July 23rd, 2008 6:14 pm

I want to know why the CJ didn’t see it fit to order an inquest into Niles death as he did for the guy who committed suicide at Enmore Police Station.

They both died whilst in Police custody. So tell me what is the difference?

[Reply to this]
de canadianCarl Veecock
In reply to the above comment on July 24th, 2008 1:36 am:
Big big difference…malaika06.

After the facts and the situation were reviewed, opinion was felt that no one in
authority could be accused of any wrong doing. So it would be OK to proceed
with an inquest. OK so far?

Now if the situation were to be reversed, and there could be potential wrong
doing by anyone in authority, then we have to delay, prevaricate, hedge and act
in a different manner so as to delay, avoid, void, postpone, opine that it is really
not what it first appeared to be and dance skilfully around the matter. Result?
No inquest would be soon held and if perchance the pressure forced the
holding of one, that would take a few years to be heard due to the current work
load. Again…OK so far?

Therefore there is a big big difference between the cases.

Officials cannot be wrong and therefore they have to be extremely cautious in
dealiing with sensitive matters that could make persons in authority look bad.

I was a very important public servant , so just believe what I have explained.

[Reply to this]
rwilliams
on July 23rd, 2008 8:41 pm

Change will come when the society matures and its members does not vote and give political support to one political party or the other, based on racial fear and bigotry.
The backwardness of the society, will be preyed upon by its political leaders, to entrench themselves in power as long as this is possible.
Change will come to the society, but only by the awareness and critical action of its members.
Change, will difinitely not be given on a platter by the political leaders of the PPP and PNC.

[Reply to this]