The relatives of Dorwin Pitman, the policeman who collapsed and died in Sophia a month ago whilst chasing a prisoner, are calling for a full investigation as they still believe that there is more to be revealed about his death.
The police are insisting that he died from natural cases. According to a post mortem examination, the 23-year-old father of two died as a result of cardiac arrest.
His mother Stacy Pitman told Stabroek News on Wednesday that she and other relatives had visited the area where he was reportedly found but they were given a different version of how he came to be there.
She said that residents claimed that her son was never electrocuted there and that he did not die on the spot as was previously suggested. She said residents told them that when they took him out of the alleyway in North Sophia behind the St Stanislaus Farm, Dorwin was bleeding. The woman said that residents told her that there was no illegal electrical wire in the area where the young constable was found.
“I would like to know the truth. If my son had really died from electrocution or what? I would like the commissioner to do some sort of investigation so that I can know,” she said, adding that she believes what the residents are telling her.
Pitman said that she found it suspicious that he had a cut on the back of his head and there were no burn marks on his body indicating that he came into contact with a live electrical wire.
Her view is that her son died from a hit to his head. The woman said that she finds it hard to believe that her son could have run from the Prashad Nagar Outpost to the spot where he was found. She said that when they went in there, they had to make several stops to catch their breath. “I cannot see my son running there with a gun in his waist… and not alerting neighbours or shooting him in his foot,” she said, adding that police reportedly found him with the gun still stuck in his waist.
She said that she has not heard from the Force in relation to the investigation into her son’s death. She said that what she also finds strange is that until now the police have issued no wanted bulletin for the prison escapee whom her son was allegedly chasing after.
Pitman insisted that there was more to her son’s death and that the police may have information in this regard. She said that she was not accepting the post mortem result.
On Wednesday, responding to questions from reporters about whether the rank died in the line of duty, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said that the rank died from natural causes. He said that there are clear distinctions with persons who die in the line of duty, adding that certain criteria have to be met which have certain benefits attached.
He said there is another benefit for members of the Force who die while serving either from natural causes, accidents or incidents.
Police had said that around 7.30am, Pitman went to the lock-ups at the Prashad Nagar Outpost to feed prisoners. While he was handing out meals, Akeem Edwards, who was in the lock-ups for possession of narcotics and who was scheduled to make his court appearance later in the day, pushed him down and ran away.
According to the police, Pitman and another rank gave chase behind Edwards and Pitman was subsequently found in the alleyway. There was no visible sign of injury, the police had said.
