The attorney for the teen tortured by police says that his client denied being involved in the murder of retired Region Three Vice-Chairman Ramenauth Bisram and said he was burnt because he refused to sign a statement admitting to the murder.
Attorney-at-law Khemraj Ramjattan visited his client at the Georgetown Public Hospital yesterday and said that he is recovering “very well”. He expressed surprise at how quickly the wounds were healing, stating that in one or two weeks’ time, he could probably be well enough to participate in an identification parade to point out the ranks who tortured him.
A policeman is stationed at the Burn Care Unit and the attorney has been told by police that this is for the protection of the boy. He explained that he was told that the boy will be a witness against the rogue cops and further it has been indicated to him that the boy is not facing any charges.
He noted that the boy said that three policemen beat him while another interrogated him. Two policemen have since been charged in relation to two other prisoners. Ramjattan further said that he was satisfied at the treatment that his client has been receiving at the medical institution.
The torture of the teen has drawn widespread condemnation. He, along with Deonarine Rafick and Nouravie Wilfred had been arrested following the murder of Bisram, whose nude body was discovered in his Canal Number Two home on October 26. Rafick was later charged with the murder and during his court appearance had alleged torture.
In court, he displayed signs of a beating and had a gaping wound to his head which required stitches. Wilfred was released without charge after a week in custody.
It later came to light that ranks at the Leonora Police Station had doused the teen’s pelvic area with a flammable liquid and set it afire. It was several days later, following media reports that he was taken to the hospital.
The Kaieteur News had published a graphic photo of the burns. It is not clear who had taken the photo and under what circumstances.
Following the reports, police launched an investigation and last week Sergeant Narine Lall and Constable Mohanram Dolai, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court charged with the unlawful wounding and felonious wounding of Rafick and Wilfred. No charges were filed in relation to the boy because he has not yet identified them.
President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said that has given the police two weeks to complete the probe, after which all the perpetrators will face the full consequences. He said that if the report does not satisfy him other options outside the police will be considered.
The opposition parties have announced their distrust in an investigation undertaken by the police saying it lacked credibility. They have urged an independent investigation instead.
