Father of accident victim protests police harassment, calls for justice

Protesting police harassment and demanding justice, the father of the young girl who was hit down allegedly by a policeman’s car in 2012, held a one-man protest outside Police Headquarters, Eve Leary yesterday.

Ricky Rhamdhanni told this newspaper that he never received justice for the January 2012 accident in which his daughter sustained injuries. In addition, he claimed, his neighbour, believed to be a police officer’s wife has been threatening to burn his house down. He believes this stemmed from the allegations he made against a police officer in 2012 following the accident involving his daughter.

Yesterday, police officers were seen taking information from Rhamdhanni as he protested at Eve Leary.

Rhamdhanni said his neighbour was released from jail on February 10 after serving four months’ imprisonment for threatening language and behaviour against his family. Since then, he said, his family has been subjected to threats and verbal abuse.

Police officers taking notes from Ricky Rhamdhanni in front of Police Headquarters Eve Leary yesterday.
Police officers taking notes from Ricky Rhamdhanni in front of Police Headquarters Eve Leary yesterday.

Attempts to speak with police officials in relation to this matter yesterday were unsuccessful.

Rhamdhanni said that subsequent to a report being made at the police station, his wife and his neighbour are scheduled to make an appearance at the Providence Magistrate’s Court today. The man said his wife was falsely charged.

The distraught man said that earlier in February, his now 15-year-old daughter was at home alone with her four siblings when his neighbour proceeded to curse her before bringing a police officer to arrest her.

“He [the police officer] come and start to blow up his vehicle horn. When me daughter come out the verandah, he order my daughter to put down the baby and come down to him so he can arrest her,” Rhamdhanni said.

He added that after his daughter refused to get in the officer’s vehicle, the officer left.

On January 4, 2012, Rhamdhani’s then 11-year-old daughter left her home to purchase bread when she was hit off her bicycle by a heavily dark-tinted white Toyota Allion car.

The accident occurred near the Golden Grove/ Diamond police station on the East Bank Demerara.

Rhamdhanni had expressed fear for his life as well as his family’s in 2012. He said he received a number of threats to leave the story alone. He told this newspaper that he had awakened one morning to find a five-gallon pail of diesel in front of his yard.