Following bomb threats that forced the cancellation of classes at the Turkeyen Campus of the University of Guyana (UG), the police have detained a female student for questioning and she has since denied responsibility.
A senior police official yesterday confirmed that the young woman was arrested on Thursday morning at her workplace. She was subsequently taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary, where she remained in custody up to last evening.
The 72-hour period allowed by law to detain a person without charge will expire on Sunday morning.
The motive for the threats remain unknown. However, Stabroek News understands that the woman was arrested after records from her phone linked her to the threats.
Attorney Latchmie Rahamat, who is representing the woman, told Stabroek News that the police have put an allegation to her client, who has since denied it.
Rahamat refused to divulge details of the allegation.
On Thursday, UG announced that classes at its Turkeyen Campus were cancelled for the remainder of the week following a second bomb threat. The first threat was issued on Tuesday, while the second was on Wednesday. The University, in a statement, had said that the campus will be closed to the public, students and non-essential university personnel to enable a thorough assessment of the situation.
The release had said that police and fire service officers conducted a thorough search of the campus on Wednesday.
“No explosive of any kind or suspicious object was found during this search. The closure of the campus will enable the Administration, staff and Student Leaders to review the situation and enhance preventive and responsive measures for such threats,” the statement said.
It noted that classes and full operation of the university is expected to resume on Monday.
In a statement issued on behalf of the woman’s family last evening, Rahamat said that the family denied all allegations levelled against her and will take every measure to ensure that her name is cleared. The family, in the statement, stressed that the woman has been in police custody for more than 24 hours without being formally charged.
“The matter is under investigation and, despite being in police custody for more than 24 hours, she has not been formally charged, a strong indication that there is no solid case against her. She has denied the allegations and we believe that these accusations against her are completely out of character,” the statement said.
The statement added that the family believes that the young woman is being used a scapegoat by the police. “While we understand the national importance of this matter and respect the Police Force’s need to solve this crime, we believe that she is being used as a scapegoat as pressure mounts against the Guyana Police Force,” it said. They expressed disappointment in the revelation of the woman’s identity.
“Furthermore, the leaking of her name and incorrectly stated family connection hints at a deeper, ulterior motivation: typically, in a matter that is under investigation, the “suspect’s” identity is not revealed until it has reached the level of the court. In this case, she has been publicly lambasted and adjudged guilty before a charge has even been instituted,” the statement said.
On Thursday, the police had said that there is no significant danger from bomb threats to various educational institutions. The police had said that arrests were imminent.
“Our investigations have revealed so far that students either by themselves or with other persons decided to be mischievous and endeavour to disrupt the existing peace and calm in society and specifically in the education sectors,” a police statement had said.
The statement also noted that the force has taken all the necessary actions to date as a responsible organisation should, in relation to the current situation.
