Two members of the family of the teenagers killed on the West Berbice are in police custody following an altercation last night at the Sparendaam Police Station.
In a statement, the police said that about 8 pm, a Police Sergeant and other ranks who were conducting a roadblock in-front of the Sparendaam Police Station stopped a Silver Grey motor car which was proceeding in an eastern direction on the northern carriageway. Upon checking the vehicle they observed three occupants at the time, two males and a female.
After a preliminary search, the statement said that the driver of the motor vehicle who gave his name as Colwyn Henry, age 24 years of Lot 32 Cotton Tree, WCB was asked to produce his documents for verification as to his identity and ownership of the vehicle but failed to produce his driver’s licence and revenue licence. As a consequence, he was asked to drive his motor car to the left corner in front of Sparendaam Police Station and as such became annoyed and allegedly started to abuse the police with profanities.
He was then warned of his behaviour and to desist from such practice. However, the police said that Colwyn Henry continued to behave in the said manner and was then instructed to proceed into the Enquiries Office to which he refused resulting in one of the ranks attempting to arrest him but he was unsuccessful as Colwyn Henry pushed him away.
The Sergeant in-charge of the road-block then intervened and he was also pushed away, the police said.
Colwyn Henry’s mother Gail Johnson of the said address, who was also an occupant of the said vehicle, rushed between her son and the Police and allegedly started to abuse the police with profanities.
However, the statement said that the Sergeant managed to subdue Colwyn Henry and took him into the Station’s Enquiries Office. During the process, a scuffle ensued between Colwyn Henry and the Ranks, whereby he dealt several cuffs to a constable causing the constable to sustain an injury to his face and about his body. It is alleged that Colwyn Henry also bit the Constable on his left arm.
The mother, the police said held on to Sergeant Williams’ clothing, ripping off his reflector vest and ripping off two buttons in the process.
Following the incident, both Henry and Johnson were placed into custody and subsequently put on $15,000 cash bail. They were afterwards escorted by the police along with the constable and the sergeant to seek medical attention.
A statement was taken from Colwyn Henry in the presence of his Attorney Nigel Hughes, the police added.
In a statement on his Facebook page, Hughes said that while the family was returning home after attending a presentation by Director of the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (EAAF) Dr. Luis Fondebrider they were stopped at Sparendaam police station.
“Colwyn who was driving was unable to produce his driver’s licence because he had forgotten it at home in the rush to get to Brickdam Cathedral. He produced a photograph of his licence which was in the phone which showed that it was valid until April 2021,” the lawyer noted.
A video of the incident released by Journalist Leroy Smith, shows an altercation between Johnson and several police officers within the compound of the Sparendaam police station.
Johnson can be seen screaming at the officers to stop “assaulting my son”.
“Loose my son. Colwyn, Colwyn, Colwyn,” she screams while clinging to her child.
It takes at least four officers to separate the two at which point Johnson starts screaming.
Henry can be heard calling for his mother as the camera briefly pans to police officers dealing him several cuffs about his body.
PRESS STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
The Guyana Police Force has just seen a statement posted by attorney Mr. Nigel Hughes on his Facebook page, grossly misrepresenting the apprehension and subsequent arrest of Mr. Colwyn Henry, which took place at 20:00hrs, this evening, by police officers conducting a routine road block in front of the Sparendaam Police Station on the Rupert Craig Highway.
The facts of the matter are as follows:
A sliver grey car, registration number PWW 501, travelling in an easterly direction, on the northern carriageway was stopped at the road block. The vehicle was occupied by the driver and two passengers, two males and a female. The police officer conducted a search of the car with nothing of evidential value being found in the vehicle or on the occupants of the car.
The driver when asked to produce his driver’s license and identifying documents was unable to produce his driver’s and revenue license and gave his name as Colwyn Henry and address as lot 32 Cotton Tree, West Coast, Berbice.
Mr. Henry was instructed to park his car in front of the Sparendaam Police Station, in accordance with established police procedures which require the driver to be prohibited from further driving the vehicle, at which time he became exceedingly abusive to the police officer including the use of threatening violence against the police officer.
When Mr. Henry was instructed to get out of the car in order to be escorted to the police station, he refused to do so and violently resisted arrest.
The female passenger, subsequently identified as Mr. Henry’s mother, Gail Johnson, then attacked the police officer in the course of their arresting and escorting, Mr. Henry into the police station.
In the course of subduing Mr. Henry and Ms. Johnson, the police officer suffered injuries to his face and arm and the police Sergeant assisting in the arrest, suffer damages to his clothing.
Mr. Henry continued to make violent threats against the police officers threatening to have them killed.
Mr. Henry and Ms. Johnson were placed into custody and subsequently placed on $15,000 cash bail. Approximately 30 minutes after Mr. Henry and Ms. Johnson were placed under custody, attorney Mr. Nigel Hughes presented himself at the Sparendaam police station when a statement was taken from Mr. Henry in his presence.
The Force wishes to remind citizens that it remains committed to its mandate as set out in the Constitution of Guyana and Chapter 16:01 of the Laws of Guyana, as it seeks to provide a service that guarantees the safety and security of every person within our country.
Police investigations are continuing into the matter.
Released by:
Public Relations Department
Force Headquarters
