A 24-year-old Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo resident is calling for justice after he was allegedly beaten by police ranks on Monday afternoon during a bid to arrest him after he was found in possession of a screwdriver, which is considered an offensive weapon.
Joel Patterson, of Lot 4195 Tuschen Housing Scheme, yesterday told Stabroek News that he was beaten about his body, mostly to his face, allegedly by three ranks of a police patrol around 4.30 pm.
The assault is alleged to have occurred a short distance away from Patterson’s home, while he stopped to speak to two friends while on his way to a shop.
When contacted for a comment, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean, who is the Divisional Commander of Region Three, told Stabroek News last evening that an investigation has since been launched by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).
McBean explained that the police were responding to a report that two members of the public were in possession of offensive weapons. One of them, he said, was found with a knife, while the other was found with a screw driver.
During the process of arresting them, McBean said, an altercation occurred, during which both the ranks and a member of the public were injured.
However, Patterson said he left home, where he had been taking care of his two sisters, ages 5 and 9, to make a purchase at a shop. On his way, he recounted, he met two friends and was chatting with them when they were approached by a police vehicle with three ranks.
“I left to come out on the road to buy $200 eggs. Dah is fah mek dinner fah me two sister them. When I come out I meet two ah me friends them on the corner. So me ain’t buy right away, I kill lil time. About three minutes after or suh, I see a police vehicle coming up the road. When they meet on the corner, me ain’t run and go nowhere, they stop,” Patterson said.
He added that the ranks allegedly approached one of his friends before turning his attention to him.
“They gone to one ah me friends fuss. Ask he fah conduct he self fah a search and then a next one come to me and ask me the same thing…..He ask me if I get anything illegal on meh. I seh I got a screw driver in meh pocket and the $200 that I com fah buy the egg with. When he done search me and he find the screw driver and the $200, he tell me jump in the van,” Patterson further explained.
He said that although he told the ranks he left his sisters alone at home, they insisted that he get into the force vehicle. “I tell he I got me two lil sister them alone home, I can’t go away and left them. He keep repeating, ‘Jump in the van’,” Patterson said.
He noted that at this point, one of the ranks allegedly slapped him and in retaliation he hit him back. “I keep telling he the same thing over and over then he pelt two slap at me…I cuff he fah defend meh self,” Patterson added.
He said the rank was then allegedly joined by another colleague, who together beat him about his body.
Patterson stated that he also “blacked out” twice. “….I end up reach at the front ah the vehicle, one ah them choke me and black me out. Me ain’t know wah happen when I get black out. When I catch meself back, I get up and I hold on pun the vehicle mirror. He choke me and black me out again. When I catch me self, I deh in the back ah the van with shackles and them thing,” he further related.
He said that while driving out of the housing scheme, he told one of the officer, “I never violate yuh. Maybe you violate me” and in return the officer allegedly stomped him to his face and cuffed him.
“Then a next officer call fah the driver and tell the driver leh he come at the back and leh the one that knocking me go in front and drive the vehicle. When he coming out the vehicle he telling me he gon shoot me and kill me and them thing,” Patterson said.
He said the police drove to the Leonora Police Station. Patterson said he was kept in custody without being told for what offence and was not released until yesterday morning.
He also said that he was only allowed to seek medical attention after a request was made by his mother, Joylyn Hardy.
Hardy related to Stabroek News that she is not pleased at all with the actions of the police and is therefore calling for justice. “I need justice because what they are doing is not fair… I need justice for my child. He ain’t do anything,” Hardy said.
