Remanded prisoner Lennox Wayne, called ‘Two Colours,’ yesterday testified that police officers shot suspected robbers Paul Bascom and Alberto Grant without cause and then moved their bodies to frame them.
Bascom and Grant were shot dead by police on December 7th, 2013, at Grove, in the yard of a businessman, who police allege they were going to rob.
Testifying at the continuing inquest to determine if anyone is criminally liable in their deaths, Wayne Coroner Alex Moore yesterday that he is currently at the New Amsterdam Prison on remand for murder. There were some challenges in understanding some words in his statement and Wayne was subsequently granted permission to read from his statement, as he told the court that he did not have time to refresh himself since he was not aware that he was to testify yesterday.
Wayne stated that on the day of the shooting he was in constant contact with Sergeant Leon Lindo, who called him and informed him that two suspected robbers were by a trucking service at Diamond New Housing Scheme. He said Lindo instructed him to go and see who the persons were and give him an update.
Wayne said that as he rode to the area on a motorbike he had borrowed, he was receiving directions from Lindo via telephone on how to get to the Section ‘C’ Block ‘Y’ Diamond New Housing Scheme area.
On arrival, he said, he observed the sign “Dookran Trucking Service” and he saw Bascom, whom he had met at Camp Street Prison and another man who he later learned was Grant. He stated that moments later he saw a dark police vehicle in the area and Lindo, along with two other policemen, Looknauth and Thomas, opened fire on Bascom and Grant.
Wayne said he did not see either of the deceased in a confrontation with police nor did he see them with any weapon. He stated that he later learned that the men were pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. Wayne stated that he was told by Lindo to keep low after the incident. He added that he was later contacted by the police and he was questioned in relation to the matter and then released.
The inquest heard a second statement from Wayne, where he stated that Inspector Singh, in the presence and hearing of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Caesar, held a confrontation at various moments with Wayne, Lindo, Looknauth and Thomas, where he told the officers each time of their involvement in the shooting of Bascom and Grant. He stated that during the confrontation, the three policemen were told that they not only opened fire on the deceased but also pulled their bodies and placed them in a yard. During the confrontation these accusations were denied by the policemen, who stated that they were not true and that the police had an operation.
Under cross-examination by Lindo, it was put to Wayne that he was not being honest with the court and that he had been reading the newspapers and gathering facts, thereby putting himself on the scene. Wayne denied this allegation, while stating that he was being truthful and only stating what occurred.
Lindo further stated that Wayne was only making allegations because he (Lindo) was the officer who caused him to be arrested and charged with the murder he is currently on remand for. He further stated that Wayne had called him on the day leading up to his charge requesting that he say he was with him (Wayne) at the Tactical Services Unit.
In reply, Wayne told the court that he did call Lindo because they were together on another “assignment” during the time the murder with which he is charged occurred. He further stated that he asked Lindo to say he was with him because he had wanted to be cleared of an offence he was not present for.
The matter was later adjourned by the Coroner and will be called again shortly.
In a statement on the shooting, police had said that acting on information, officers went on a stakeout at Golden Grove, East Bank Demerara and as the men were about to rob the businessman, there was an exchange of gunfire. As a result, Bascom and Grant sustained gunshot wounds to their faces.
Police had also stated that a .38 snub-nose revolver with two live rounds and two spent shells, along with a 9 mm round and two 7.62 x 39mm rounds were recovered.
