The police are still awaiting legal advice on the investigation into the shooting of a teenager who was a part of the violent post-elections protests in Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice earlier this year.
On March 6, after a day of violent protests in Region Five, Devon Hansraj, 18, was fatally shot and at least five ranks sustained serious injuries during a confrontation.
Commander of Region Five Yonette Stephens told Stabroek News that an investigation was done and the file was sent for legal advice. She said one of the ranks, Sergeant Ibaran, who was seriously injured is still unable to return to work, while the others have since fully recover-ed. Both of his arms were broken and he sustained some head injuries. He told this newspaper that he is still in therapy. He said, “I am recovering but slowly”. He then noted, that his family has been supporting him throughout the entire recovery process. Further-more, he said, that it was unclear when he would be able to return to work.
The Guyana Police Force, in a statement, had reported that Hansraj was shot while attacking ranks with a cutlass alongside other protesters.
However, residents and relatives had challenged the police’s account since they claimed that the youth was unarmed and walking out of the street when the police allegedly opened fire.
Hemchand Hansraj, 40, of Lot 37 Section A, Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice, said he is still seeking justice for his son’s death. “Abie got to get justice, abie can’t left am so,” he said before adding that he has been told that a rank involved in the shooting has been transferred from the region.
The father was at home when he was informed that his eldest child was shot.
“Me son been a walk out pon the street and them police shoot and run because he and one lady been a walk out pon the street and them fire load and when the boy fall down them fire two more load and that is it and them never tell back abbie nothing,” he said. “That boy does help a lot a house. The boy not a criminal or one smoke man he been a one quiet boy and them just kill he, me never get one complain or he never get police story,” he added.
“He been pon the road and the protest them been done and deh been one shop sit down and abie go home and then me hear me son get shoot… A lady went there and the lady been a get shoot too and the lady say she pull back and he pull back and the two load wah them fire quick quick catch he,” the father further said.
Persons present at the protest had also told Stabroek News that Hansraj was exiting a street when he was shot. However, they could not say whether he was armed with a cutlass.
According to the father, the police took statements from relatives on the night that his son was killed and never contacted them again.
On March 6, protests erupted in several regions and some saw confrontations between protesters and the police.
Pieces of wood, branches, glass bottles and firecrackers were among the things thrown at police officers. Protesters also started fires along the West Coast Berbice public road, which caused persons in traffic to divert to the back streets in order to escape from the region.
Stabroek News was present and noticed officers present standing their ground despite being under attack. The ranks were working to ensure that the traffic flowed despite the fires.
However, throughout the day the violent protesters hid between crowds while attacking the police officers but as the sun began to set the protesters began arming themselves with iron rods, cutlasses and pieces of wood.
