Guyanese police on Wednesday credited plea-bargain legislation and beefed-up intelligence-gathering with breaking up a gang of heavily armed men who were believed to have been responsible for killing Agriculture Minister, Satyadeow Sawh and 23 people in two separate massacres.
Meanwhile, police reported a 13 percent decline in crime compared to last year although the force is over 700 members short. The force is plagued by lower salaries and a frequent intake of poorly qualified persons.
Addressing an annual awards ceremony at the Police Officers' Mess, Police Commissioner Henry Greene said the plea bargain legislation passed in 2008 was in keeping with a decision by Caribbean police and military chiefs.
He said the legislation has helped prosecute several members of a gang that was led by Rondell 'Fineman' Rawlins. He was killed in August 2008 prior to the enactment of the plea bargain legislation in October of that year.
"If it wasn't for an amendment to the act, we could not have had Fineman gang where they are today- behind the bars- because we have plea bargain legislation which we are using effectively," he said.
Mr. Greene, a Caribbean-trained lawyer and career policeman, noted that in the absence of the legislation gang-members would not have given evidence against Fineman.
"The effectiveness of the legislation combined with our intelligence that we have been using and working with has worked and worked significantly for us," he said.
Shortly after Fineman and two accomplices were killed by security forces in the Soesdyke area, speculation was rife that a former opposition parliamentarian who now openly supports the government, had leaked information about the whereabouts of the gang.
The Rawlins-led gang was blamed for killing Sawh and two of his siblings in April, 2006 as well as the Lusignan massacre on January 26, 2008 that left 11 people including five children dead. Police also said the gang was responsible for killing 12 people, including three policemen, on February 17, 2008 in Bartica.
Police say that several gang-members are currently before the courts giving evidence against each other in preliminary inquiries in indictable matters to determine whether they should be referred to the high court trials by a judge and jury.
In the first sentence, using the plea bargain legislation, a man accused of murder was sentenced to seven years jail instead of death by hanging. The convict was not a member of the Rawlins gang.
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are pleased in the manner, you are bring these criminals to book.I do think the Government should look into the matter of the forces Pay,and the recruitment drive should concentrate on better qualified personels,I would say thank you, to the opposition parliametarian, whom has suppoted the Government, as a loyal Guyanese that has acted in the intrest of our country,and All its people,thank you sir.
Abdul Samad
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