Three cops being questioned after teacher succumbs

Kescia Branche
Kescia Branche

Kescia Branche, the school teacher who was found in an unconscious state on the side of a city street on Sunday morning, succumbed to her injuries yesterday and three policemen are being questioned by investigators.

Branche, 22, was in found at a roadside in the vicinity of Princes Street and Louisa Row, Georgetown, sometime around 5 on Sunday morning.

The mother of one, who was a teacher at the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, had been a patient in the Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital. She passed away sometime after 4pm yesterday.

Stabroek News was told that Branche’s face was swollen as a result of the injuries she sustained. She had sustained head injuries and a broken foot. The doctor who treated her had told her family that the head injuries appeared to be consistent with blows to the head.

Police spokesman Shivpersaud Bacchus confirmed to Stabroek News that the police ranks  had been taken into custody.

A 22-year-old Duncan Street, Bel Air man, who was also seen in the company of the young lady on Saturday night has been released from custody. He was taken into custody on Monday.

A source close to the investigation told Stabroek News that preliminary investigations have since revealed that on Saturday night, Branche was picked up from the Blue Martini nightclub on Lamaha Street by two uniformed ranks. The ranks approached Branche while she was standing outside of the club, where they engaged in a conversation with her. Moments after, the source said she jumped on to a motorcycle with one of the ranks and they went to a barbeque spot on Mandela Avenue.

While waiting on their order, the constable, who is currently under close arrest, told investigators that he left to use the washroom and when he returned he did not see Branche.

When he asked his colleague, who had remained with her, about her whereabouts, he was told that she left with a taxi, the source said.

At the hospital yesterday, family and friends were moved to tears after they learnt of her passing. Several persons had showed up at the hospital to visit Branche.

Branche’s family was alerted to the discovery of her body and her hospitalisation on Sunday morning, just about two hours after she was found.

Meanwhile, police, in a statement that was issued yesterday, said her body is currently at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Branche’s family has asked persons with information to come forward and to contact them on telephone numbers 592-644-3857 and 592-677-8733, or the police.