Sparendaam police deny Plaisance brutality complaints

After being allegedly assaulted and wrongfully arrested by two policemen, two Plaisance residents are now crying out for justice saying that they were treated unfairly by the police. However, an officer at the Sparendaam Police Station has refuted these allegations and said that the men were justifiably arrested.
Twenty-two year-old Junior Nagloo and his brother Travis Nagloo, 18, were reportedly slapped repeatedly by two police officers who went to their Victoria Road, Plaisance home, in search of their younger brother. The two men say that their brother has been wrongly accused of a crime by their neighbour, who is a prison guard and who is also related to them.

Stabroek News understands that this brother does not live with his relatives in Plaisance but visited the home on Tuesday and was spotted by the neighbour. The neighbour subsequently summoned the police.

Travis Nagloo (left) and Junior Nagloo (right)
Travis Nagloo (left) and Junior Nagloo (right)

According to Junior Nagloo, at approximately midday on Tuesday, the neighbour and two police officers entered their home.  By that time, their brother had already left their Lot 63 Victoria Road home, Junior disclosed. He said that one of the officers entered through the already opened door and proceeded to grab Travis who was seated on a table in the living home at the time. Junior said that the officer asked the neighbour if “this is the boy?” then allegedly slapped Travis repeatedly behind his head.

He said that one of the officers proceeded to search their home.  After ransacking the home, the officers reportedly tried to take Travis away, this newspaper was told. Junior said that when the men began to take his younger brother away he rushed outside and asked them what they were doing with him. He said that one of the men began slapping him behind his head. Afterwards, he said that both he and his brother were placed in a police vehicle and were then taken to the Sparendaam Police Station. They were subsequently placed in the lockups. Junior said that at no time were he and his brother told why they were being put in the lockups. Junior said that at 6:30 pm their lawyer intervened, and they were released on their own recognizance.

Daphne Ramnarine, who is the great aunt of the men, said that she had just returned home from the clinic and was changing her clothes in the room when she heard the confusion in the home. When she went outside to examine what was the cause of all the confusion, she said that she saw her great nephew Junior being slapped several times by the officer.

Meanwhile, a police officer at the Sparendaam Police Station said that the men were arrested because they assaulted police officers. This police officer stated that at no time while the two men were at the station did they allege any form of assault. “It was only after they were released that they starting making these claims” she said. She explained that the two men were released on their own recognizance on Tuesday evening and were instructed to return to the station the following day (which was yesterday). When the men returned yesterday they were instructed to return today. The officer said she was unsure whether the men would be charged. The two brothers are expected to return to the station today.