The family of 46-year-old Brian Knight who was found hanging in the Leonora Police Station lockups on Monday is calling for a thorough investigation to be launched into the man’s alleged suicide.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday, Knight’s wife, Fiona Knight, disclosed that since her husband died, the police have not confirmed his death to her, and that she had only learnt of her husband’s death through his cousin via a phone call.
“Up to now the police didn’t tell me that he dead… is Brian cousin call me and tell me.”
Knight’s wife further said that when she visited the station upon hearing the news, instead of being informed of the man’s death, she was interrogated by police ranks at the station.
“…Then when I gone to the station after I hear, they start questioning me about we problems at home… even unto now they didn’t say he dead.”
The woman noted that both she and her now deceased husband were ill with the flu on the day in question and as such, he went to the hospital to seek medical attention.
After he returned home, a confrontation occurred between the couple, causing the woman to make a report to the station where the man was then taken.
Knight said that although she and her partner had a misunderstanding, she was still concerned about his well-being.
She explained to this newspaper that when the police arrived to take him to the station, she cautioned them that Knight was ill and told them to take good care of him.
She also said that she even showed the officers the papers of the various medications he took after he had returned from the hospital.
“Both of us wasn’t feeling good, we both had the flu so Brian went to the hospital for medical attention… we had a lil misunderstanding so I went and made a report, when the police come for he, I tell them that he ain’t feeling good that he drink some tablets and that they should be careful with he, I even show them the papers of what he drink and all they say was OK.”
“But if they did take better care I don’t think he woulda do duh, is their own negligence because I tell them he wasn’t feeling good and that they must check on he.”
“I want they do a proper investigation because I don’t know what happened after they carry he in,” said the wife of the now deceased.
When this newspaper contacted Commander of Regional Division #3, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Siwnarine, he said that a further investigation had already commenced on the death of the man.
Siwnarine also said that constant checks were made on the detainee by ranks of the Leonora Police Station throughout that day and that there are records to support this.
According to a police statement, on Monday at around 13:30hrs, a police rank made a check at the Leonora Police Station lockup and found that the person held in the number one cell had apparently committed suicide.
He was found motionless in the cell. It was said that Knight used a piece of his t-shirt to take his own life.
Knight was scheduled to appear in court yesterday for the matter between him and his wife.
The police force has repeatedly come under scrutiny over deaths by hanging of persons in custody.
