Dear Editor,
I write to express my dissatisfaction with the poor service that is being meted out to me by ranks of the Sparendaam Police Station and with a view that the authorities correct the situation before others not suffer from deserving justice. At about 19: 30 hours Friday, August 26, 2022 I took a public transportation from Plaisance to Georgetown, seated behind the driver in the minibus with my cellular phone in my pocket. I disembarked at North Road in Georgetown and went to my workplace but when I got there I realized that my cellular phone had slipped out of my pocket in the bus.
I immediately went to the bus park [in Georgetown] and waited for the bus to return and informed both the driver and conductor that my cell phone had slipped out my pocket and asked if they had seen it or if anyone found it and handed over same to them. The driver said no but he overhead two young ladies, who had joined the bus from Plaisance, finding out who had left their cell phone in the bus. The conductor, who knows me well, then provided me with specific information. I acted on that information and even begged for my phone since it has vital information of which I am in need of.
Not receiving any cooperation prompted me to report the matter to the Sparendaam Police Station where a report was taken and I was asked to submit a statement which I did. A patrol unit under the supervision of Corporal Drayton acted upon the information in my possession. In pursuit of the matter, I returned to the station the following morning on Saturday, August 27, 2022 and a second visit by a patrol unit under the supervision of Sergeant Ben was dispatched. After initial questioning of the suspects the police turned to me and said that there is nothing they can do without a proper investigation being done, that is to say –
(a) No written statement was taken relative to the matter.
(b) A Statement was never taken from either the bus driver or the conductor
(c) There was no confrontation between the parties involved.
Unsatisfied, I returned to the police station and told Corporal 21117 Fields that I am not pleased with the manner in which my matter is being handled and he assured me that he is going to have the matter investigated. Later, the said afternoon Sergeant Ben was asked by Corporal 21117 Fields to review the investigation. On my way with Sergeant Ben in the patrol vehicle, a female rank who was in the vehicle, disembarked at the Better Hope Community Play Ground. I became a little bit concerned that the patrol vehicle would not have any female rank on board but Sergeant Ben told me that there is nothing in law that prevents a male rank from inviting or arresting a female.
I said okay and then asked Sergeant Ben not to disclose the identity of my informants at this initial stage of the investigation. The Sergeant did not take my advice and did exactly what I asked him not to do which was unprofessional since eyewitnesses ought to be protected at all times. However, Sergeant Ben was informed by the suspects that a brother is a Sergeant in the Guyana Police Force. The Sergeant Ben requested to speak to the brother on the phone which was yet again was unprofessional. At the end of the conversation Sergeant Ben told me that the suspects were resisting arrest and he (Sergeant Ben) being a male there is not much he can do.
The Sergeant then informed that the brother will bring the suspects to the station at 8:00 am on Sunday, August 29, 2022 and I must report to the station as well. I reported at the station on the date and time given and neither the suspects nor brother turned up and I am convinced that some ranks of the Sparendaam Police Station are depriving me of the justice I deserve for the following reasons:
(1) Why did Sergeant Ben visit the home without a female rank on the patrol?
(2) Why did Sergeant Ben accept a private telephone call from the brother since his action can be deemed as obstruction of justice?
(3) Why did Sergeant Ben not allow the brother to call the station to have his conversation recorded if there was nothing to hide or cover up?
(4) Why was the brother allowed by Sergeant to accompany the suspects to the station and not a lawyer?
(5) Why did Sergeant Ben not sought to have the suspects’ arrested when they failed to turn up at the station on the date and time given?
The above is yet to be answered and I am calling on the Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority to kindly look into this matter so that I can receive justice that the ranks of the Sparendaam Police Station is depriving of.
Sincerely,
Rayvonne P. Bourne
