The police will be sending all the evidence gathered during investigations into last month’s discovery of a cache of arms and ammunition at a Regent Street house to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.
This move follows the release of three occupants of the house on station bail without a charge being laid and the issuing of wanted bulletins for three men – businessman Clayton Hutson, Trinidad-ian Joseph Aboud and the occupants’ relative Frankie Ross.
So far Hutson and Aboud have turned themselves in. The third man remains at large and police have no information on his possible whereabouts. Hutson was released on station bail but still has to report to police headquarters occasionally. Aboud was released unconditionally.
Speaking on the Regent Street arms discovery before the commencement of the Guyana Police Force’s Medal Presentation Ceremony, Acting Police Commissioner, Henry Greene noted that one of the suspects – Ross has not turned himself in. He pointed out that three other persons who were implicated, are on bail and in the absence of one of the suspects, police will now be sending the file to the DPP “with whatever evidence we have, for them to advise us”.
When the three women were released on station bail, three days after they were held, observers were quick to point out that it was strange that no charges were laid and that it was always the police’s habit to charge when weapons or ammunition are found on one’s property.
Responding to a question on why no charges have been laid, Greene simply said that “It is going to the DPP”.
He further told the media that the barrel which was found in the yard with the weapons had a lock on it and there is some evidence that it was being controlled by someone. It is in these circumstances that the police made a decision to seek the DPP’s help.
Police had said on September 25 that members of the joint services searched the Lot 120 Regent Street address and discovered an AK-47 rifle with the number filed off; a pistol with a silencer; a Mossberg shotgun; 713 rounds of ammunition of various calibre; 7 magazines for different firearms; a green camouflage water bottle and a green canvas pouch. The police had said that the items were in a barrel.
Ballistic tests later conducted on the weapons showed that they were not used in the commission of any crimes here and as such there are suspicions that the weapons were recently smuggled into the country and were being temporarily stored at the house.
Investigators are still trying to determine how and when the items arrived in the country and for what purpose.
The three women, who occupied the two-flat house were not at home when the search was conducted but were later arrested.
Stabroek News had contacted Crime Chief Seelall Persaud on why no charges were laid and according to him police had so far found no evidence that the three women questioned had possession of the arms and ammunition found at their home and as such no charge has been laid.
He explained that in cases like this, the police first have to prove possession, which means proving control and knowledge to determine whether charges should be laid.
