Two brothers serving in the Guyana Police Force (GPF), who were accused of torturing 17-year-old Akshay Budhiram at their La Parfaite Harmonie home were granted bail yesterday after they were jointly charged with abducting and wounding the teen.
Isaiah Bernard, a 26-year-old police constable attached to the Wales Police Station and Daniel Bernard, a 24-year-old police constable attached to the Tactical Services Unit, both of Lot 1092 Thirty-Eight Street La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court and were read two charges. While they were brought shackled into the courtroom, the police orderly soon relieved them of the chains and began engaging in conversation with Isaiah Bernard.
The first charge alleges that on December 16th, 2019, at Schoonord, West Bank Demerara, the duo abducted Budhiram with intent to wrongfully confine him.
It was further alleged that on the same date and at the same time the brothers unlawfully and maliciously wounded Budhiram with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause grievous bodily harm.
They denied both charges after it was read to them.
The prosecutor did not object to bail but asked that the court attach conditions to the bail. He told the court that on the date mentioned around 11:30 am, Budhiram was at a Super Bet outlet when the duo along with six others approached him and started beating him with a baseball bat and a crowbar. The brothers then accused him of breaking and entering their home after which they handcuffed him and forced him into a car and took him to a location where they threw a hot substance on him, causing injuries. After the brothers left, Budhiram escaped and reported the matter to La Parfaite Harmonie police station. The brothers were contacted, told of the offence, cautioned and arrested.
Further, the prosecutor reported that the investigation is completed and the Prosecution would be ready to disclose statements sometime next year.
Meanwhile, Attorney Dexter Todd in his application for bail told the court that the brothers were not served an indictment and will continue to perform their duties as per normal until the determination of the trial.
As a result, the brothers were each granted bail in the sum of $400,000 each for the two charges, with the condition that they report to the Leonora Police Station every Friday before 17:30 hours. They were also required to lodge their passports. Further, the magistrate stated that if their duties should prevent them from reporting to the Police Station, they should contact the sergeant in charge and inform that they would not be checking in. The matter was transferred to the Wales Magistrate’s Court and was adjourned until January 30th, 2020.
Meanwhile, when Budhiram’s mother heard that they were going to be released she broke down in tears and Budhiram, who was present in court, tried consoling her while he led her out of the courtroom. Burn injuries are still visible on his face.
Half hour after the duo were granted bail they were released and they left with an entourage.
Budhiram has said in an earlier interview he was abducted by a group of eight men, who were travelling in two cars, and was transported to the home of the lawmen, who handcuffed him and beat him, while continuously asking for a phone and game he has been accused of stealing from their La Parfaite Harmonie home. He said he was also burnt by his assailants. “Them carry me in a house, put me in a room, handcuff me to a bedframe and start beating me. Them keep asking me weh them thing deh. I tell them me ain’t know about nothing. Them go and hot water in a electric kettle, a black kettle and they start throwing it pun me head. I feel it start running down pun me back and it start paining….I start hollering…them cuffing me all in me ribs, lashing me all with a baseball bat,” the teen related.
The teen, who has denied any involvement in breaking into their property, has said he believes his attackers wanted him dead as they had placed him in the trunk of a car and proceeded to take him to a housing scheme. “I feel they did want kill me because me ain’t know wah they carry me till ah the back suh fah plus them beating me with a shovel…All me teeth all them bruk,” he told this newspaper on Wednesday.
He managed to escape and contact his family.
He was adamant that he had no knowledge of the allegation that is being levelled against him. “…If I did do duh when them throw the hot wata pun me, I woulda talk everything but me ain’t know wah them talking about.”
The case was made public on Tuesday during an emergency press conference, which was hosted by Commissioner of Police Leslie James, who announced that an investigation had been launched and that it was being spearheaded by a senior member of the force.
On Thursday Regional Commander of Region three, Simon McBean, told this newspaper that no other suspects are being sought since there has been no report of other parties participating in the act and that evidence gathered so far does not point to any other individual being involved.
