Lindeners are upset at the pace of the investigation of a police sergeant who allegedly sexually exploited seven teenage boys at the Wismar, Linden police station.
“They just have us running back and forth in this case. Those children had to go back to the station more than two times to give statement in both of the matters. They told us that we have to bring them every time we are told to do so or the parents would have to pay a $10,000 fine,” a parent said of the case, which is being monitored closely by Region 10 Chairman Mortimer Mingo and Chairperson of the Regional Welfare Committee Valarie Adams.
A parent of one of the boys, who are between 13 and 14 years in age, had issued a call for a speedy investigation into a matter. In relating the incident, the parent had said that the boys were taken to the police station by a School Welfare Officer to file a report against them for having gang sex with a 14-year old girl. The parent reported that they were informed by the police rank that the matter was a serious one and would have required them to be at the station for some time.
That day they spent more than eight hours at the station. The boys’ parents were advised to get them out of their school uniforms. In complying they were left in the custody and care of the police ranks and the school welfare officer.
Upon returning the parent was told that the boys were being taken in for questioning individually where they spent a long time. The school welfare officer had left the station with the girl.
The son of the parent who reported the matter had already left for home when it was revealed that the boys were forced to masturbate during the process of them being questioned.
The son admitted that he was force to do the same and the matter was reported to the school welfare department the following day. According to reports the case was sent to the DPP for advice and has not returned since.
A parent close to the case said that they were being treated badly by ranks at the station because they made the complaint against the sergeant.
Adams told Stabroek News that the Regional Welfare Committee and the Regional Democratic Council were informed of the matter and are sticking close to the case. “We were told that the matter is at the DPP and we understand that that takes sometime but we are not going to see this case fall through the cracks.
The Regional Chairman is keeping close to this case and I am aware that he had raised the matter at a national session recently in Georgetown. He has also been in contact with the commandant in-charge,” she further stated.
During a recent visit to Linden, Director of the Child Care and Protection Agency Ann Greene said that she was aware of the matter but did not have the details. “But I know for sure that the matter was reported to the agency and is being looked at. We are currently allowing the legal process to take effect but we would be representing those children to ensure that they are given justice,” she said.
A child protection officer who is working on the case said it was reported that the boys were severely traumatised by the incident. According to the officer, while the accused officer is now saying that he did not force the boys to masturbate, he had told the head teacher of one of the secondary schools involved that he did it as a form of punishment.
The head teacher recorded the statement in her notes. In addition, it was learnt that two of the boys were made to perform the act twice.
The matter has engaged the attention of a wide cross-section of residents of Linden. A group of men said that they felt the police sergeant should have been off duty, pending investigation.
“If it was a civilian that was accused of doing such a thing he would not have been walking the streets today, he would have been behind bars whether or not the matter was at DPP and so this is a total shame to know that they still have him working,” one man said.
Shortly after the matter was first reported in the Stabroek News, the officer was absent from duty for a few days but has since resumed normal duty.
“What is worse is that same sergeant is still being left to investigate matters. This is a blatant disregard [for] people. It seems like the ordinary man has to face the brunt of the law and the police can do anything and get off.”
