Commissioner of Police (ag) Clifton Hicken yesterday met with the family of Reonol Williams, the 50-year-old man who disappeared more than two weeks ago after he was struck down at Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) and he assured them that he will ensure the matter is not “swept under the carpet”.
Williams’ sister, Sylvie Williams yesterday told Stabroek News that during the brief meeting, Hicken also outlined all the actions the police have taken from the initial stage of the investigation.
“They said that they took statements, a man was arrested and released on bail, police was sent into the interior to investigate if the man was indeed in the bush when the accident occurred….They checked the check points. They did all they can for my cause,” Sylvie said.
“I am quite satisfied that they tell me that because I was waiting to hear something,” she added.
The family was also told that they will be provided with an update within the next 48 hours. “He said within the next 48 hours the Crime Chief will call me. So I am giving them the benefit of the doubt. I am waiting on the call,” Sylvie said.
Reonol, called ‘Ram’, a father of two of Enmore, ECD, was struck down by car, PAB 2552 at Enmore Estate Road, ECD during the wee hours of May 23.
At the time, he was returning home after dropping off his younger sister in Georgetown.
To date, his family has been unable to locate him or his body.
Over the weekend, the family had said they were seeking an urgent meeting with Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn or the Commissioner of Police for answers on the status of the investigation.
They have also since hired an attorney, Bernard DaSilva. Stabroek News understands that DaSilva has offered his service pro bono in the case.
One of Reonol’s friends, Davis Peters, witnessed the accident.
He related to family members that Reonol was picked up by the driver of the vehicle, who reportedly claimed he was taking him to seek medical attention.
However, numerous searches for him were futile. The city hospitals and mortuaries also have no record of him.
The day after the accident, police recovered the vehicle which struck down Williams at Haslington, ECD.
Police Commander of Region 4C, Khali Pareshram told this newspaper during last week that an investigation is ongoing.
He also confirmed that the owner of the vehicle was arrested by the police and later released on bail.
Sources had said that the driver claimed that another individual took his car unbeknownst to him. As a result, Pareshram had said that efforts were underway to identify and locate the individual who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.
The police are expected to seek further legal advice in the matter this week.
“First of all we are working very closely with the police legal advisor based on the fact that the victim cannot be located at this time….We have sought initial advice and we were given some other indications on areas to further investigate and in the new week, we will be seeking further legal advice,” Pareshram had said.
Sylvie Williams had told this newspaper that she believed Reonol is dead. However, she said they are desperately pleading for answers so that they can have closure.
“What I want to ask the police force and anybody in the system is that we are all Guyanese…I call on the politicians, I call on the police force, I call on any organisation….to put their foot forward in order to help the citizens because too many of times I hear cries of families of victims calling for justice but I have never heard anybody at the policy level … actually talking about addressing such issues within the country….We are citizens of Guyana and we should we protected, we should be served the way we should,” Sylvie asserted.
Reonol hails from Paramakatoi Village, Region Eight. He moved to Region Four some time ago to earn a living.
