The Port Kaituma man who was allegedly beaten by the police was yesterday discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Warren Welcome, 31, was allegedly assaulted on November 20 by two police officers, one of whom he has identified by name, following a complaint by two women.
Yesterday, in a telephone interview, Welcome said he was staying at relatives in Stevedore Housing Scheme following his discharge. When he is feeling better, he said, he would contact the police to give his statement.
While in the hospital, Welcome had lamented the sloth of investigators who were looking into the matter. Commander of E & F Division David Ramnarine had told this newspaper last week that investigations were completed but police were awaiting Welcome’s statement.
Welcome, who underwent surgery last week, admitted yesterday that on two occasions he was visited by police officers who came to take his statement but “they say they can’t tek the statement under the condition I deh in. They say I gah sit up.”
Welcome added that he was not in a position to move around but would make contact with the police as soon as he feels better to give his statement.
Welcome told this newspaper last Friday that on the night of the incident he was at the Harris Disco in Port Kaituma speaking to a young lady when a woman came up and tried to break up the conversation. The man said that he objected to what the woman was trying to do and uttered obscenities at her.
He said that he later went into the disco where he started dancing with someone and the same woman came up and continued her behaviour. Welcome said that the woman was later joined by another and they started interfering with him and again he cursed them. According to Welcome, the two women made a report to the police who were nearby and the ranks took him away from the disco. While they were near the station, he said, the constable (name given) started cuffing him while shouting “yall does wan people kill yall or what?” He said that the other ranks also threw “one one cuff.” The beating, he said, continued for about three minutes while he also sustained close range cuffs to his belly and face and then he was thrown into the lockups.
The following night he was released from custody and went home. Last Monday, he went to the Port Kaituma Hospital, from where he was referred to the Georgetown Hospital, where he underwent surgery.
