The Guyana Police Force is still investigating the allegations against ranks of the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost of brutality against a pregnant woman and her child’s father.
This was confirmed by Commander of ‘A’ Division Marlon Chapman yesterday. He told Stabroek News that the investigation is still ongoing and there is currently no update.
On July 19, Chapman had told Stabroek News that the Force and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) had both launched an investigation into the matter and are currently in the process of taking statements from the persons involved.
Thirty-five-year-old Jewel Bearam and Jermaine Wilson went to the Outpost to inquire about the woman’s brother who had been arrested when an altercation ensued between the couple and the police.
As a result, Wilson suffered injuries to his arm while Bearam was allegedly hit in her face and stomach. Bearam is over six months pregnant.
The couple were released from custody the day after along with Bearam’s brother.
The families of the duo had explained to Stabroek News that when Wilson and Bearam arrived at the station on the Wednesday evening, they inquired about the charge and were told by officers that while the man was arrested for threatening language, there was no witness nor was he found with any weapons.
As a result, Bearam and Wilson questioned why the man was still being held on the bench, and subsequently, Wilson left and went outside of the station where he started voicing his displeasure at the situation.
Shortly after, Malika said, an officer approached Wilson and told him that he could not be outside of the station and “started chucking he up.”
“He call another officer to lock him up so Jermaine started asking what you locking me up for I ain’t do nothing,” Malika said.
She said that shortly after the police approached Wilson, a scuffle ensued between the two of them, which resulted in the man being dragged into the police outpost. While he was in the outpost, the scuffle intensified as one of the officers allegedly started punching the man and then hitting him with one of their batons.
While all of this was happening, Bearam was standing, looking on when she noticed that one of the officers was videoing the scene with his phone. As a result, the woman decided to take her phone out and video the situation.
“One of the police told her she can’t tape and [Bearam] seh ‘if you taping why I can’t tape’ and he [the officer] cuff she to she face like she is a man and then to she tummy,” the woman recalled.
