By Tiffny Rhodius
The police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into the custody and handling of the prisoner who ran out of the Mahaicony Police Station on Monday, plunged into the nearby river after being shot at and is now feared dead.
A statement last night from Police Headquarters, Eve Leary said that the OPR has been mandated to probe the circumstances of Godwin Maxwell’s handling by the police. The statement came amid growing questions as to why the police had fired a bullet at the fleeing man.
Maxwell’s family fears that he has drowned and is waiting for his body to reappear. His wife is now left contemplating how she will provide for her two young children.
Maxwell, 30, of Calcutta, Mahaicony had made an attempt at escaping after he was placed on $45,000 bail on tax evasion charges.
“The last thing he turn and tell me is wha gun happen to he children he know if he go Camp Street fuh how long I don’t know what gun happen to me and me children,” Patryce Downer, wife of Maxwell told this newspaper from the couple’s home.
On Monday, Maxwell, a promoter and an antenna maker, made an appearance at the Mahaicony Magistrate’s Court on tax evasion charges. After he was placed on bail, his uncle Wilbert Inniss said, “We were together. We were looking to get bail money.”
According to Inniss when Maxwell was summoned to the court the family had gathered some money but it fell short of the bail that was granted. Inniss added that after the court sessions were ended for the day, he approached the magistrate. Maxwell was downstairs with the police officers.
“I approached the magistrate after to ask for audience. He listened to me attentively and I ask him if he can consider the bail, if he can reduce it. Whilst asking we hear people shouting that a man jump overboard. When we look through the window we see Maxwell head and subsequently we hear gunshot rang out.
“The magistrate shouted at the police not to shoot the man. Subsequently he went under and he was never seen again,” Inniss recalled.
Inniss had explained previously that Maxwell was not in handcuffs at the time because he was not considered high-profile. He said the man managed to run away from the police and jump into the river.
But Maxwell’s wife said that her husband was being shot at by the police after making an attempt to escape custody which led to him jumping overboard.
“A boat man seh the boy was running and the police running behind he shooting. He jump overboard the boy seh he went under come up back and hold on to a post. After the police fire at he, he never come up back.”
“He grow up right here. This is where he born; this is where he grow and this is where he live up to the time of he death,” were the words of Inniss when asked if Maxwell lived in the area long.
Meanwhile, Maxwell’s family said that they have not been given any explanation or assistance from the police since Maxwell disappeared.
“They didn’t even go and see for the body they go back in the station [and] go bout they business like nothing wrong. They never go look for nothing is we go off we own,” Downer said as she fed the couple’s one-month-old baby.
Calls made to the divisional commander for a response on this went unanswered yesterday.
Inniss said that they have been scouting the waters and surrounding areas with the help of concerned persons, community members and other family members. He said too that Maxwell’s body is expected to surface today. “We were told that by the third day the body is float up back,” he said.
Yesterday when the family spoke to this newspaper they said that Maxwell appeared “normal” and there was no sign that he was suicidal.
Inniss meanwhile had this to say of Maxwell’s attempt at an escape, “Is the first time he had a run-in with the law. Seeing that his wife had a young three-week-old baby and he got extended family to maintain…a lot depends on him.”
Inniss said that Maxwell did not understand what was required of him as a promoter when it came to paying taxes. He said that Maxwell had only held three events at a community ground that is opposite his home.
About two weeks ago Maxwell was served a notice by the Guyana Revenue Authority. The family said that the letter was dated August 4 but they were unable to produce it yesterday.
Following the receipt of the GRA letter, Inniss said that he and Maxwell had visited the office of the GRA and were given tax forms and were promised a visit by a GRA official to explain the procedures of filing. Yesterday the unfiled tax forms and a handout explaining the tax filing were shown to this newspaper by the uncle. Officials did not show up and last Friday Maxwell was summoned to court.
According to Inniss, Maxwell’s brother who resides in Barbados was contacted about the case and had promised to send money to pay the taxes; and the money was expected in the country this week.
Seeking assistance
Patryce Downer and Maxwell have been together for six years and he was the sole provider for their family. Yesterday she said that she worries over what will happen to her family now that their bread winner is no more.
“I studying yea, whole night I ain’t sleep I ain’t get a mother and father and I can’t wuk right now and I ain’t know if the government can assist me,” Downer said, sitting in a shaded area in the yard.
Downer and Maxwell have two sons – a three-year-old and a month-old baby. Downer said that the three-year-old was supposed to begin his schooling in the new school term and his father was supposed to buy his school material and clothing this very week. “Me nah know how that gun wuk out,” she said.
“There is nothing I can do. As you can see I get this baby I can’t wuk now,” Downer said looking at the baby in her hand.
Maxwell according to Downer was a loving person. “He love he children very much. We does get we ups and downs. He does help me out in the home. He like a mother to me and he does look after he children.”
According to Inniss the events that Maxwell held were geared towards getting the young people of the community involved in meaningful activities and to keep them out of trouble.
