“Jail him” -Ramjattan’s first reaction to cops burning teenager

Last Updated on Thursday, 19 December 2019, 11:49 by Writer

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan said his first reaction when he learned that a policeman allegedly burned a teenage intruder suspect with hot water was “jail him”.

“I said ‘jail him, immediately, lock him up’ and I understand they put them in chains too because this is so atrocious,” he told News-Talk Radio Guyana 103.1 FM/Demerara Waves Online News. “That is a disgrace, quite frankly, coming from policemen,” he added.

It was Ramjattan, as an attorney-at-law, who had secured a GYD$6.5 million High Court award in 2011 for Twyon Thomas whose genitals had been burnt during a murder investigation on the West Demerara in 2009. “These things can happen at any stage you know. You try as best to ensure that there is transparency and that the people are arrested and charged and that is what we have done. The police will still have rogue elements in it and that is what has happened here,” said Ramjattan, a former state prosecutor.

The Public Security Minister expressed disappointment that a number of members of the Guyana Police Force were not abiding by human rights principles they are being taught. “You’d think that all the messaging I’m giving to the police force that human rights are going to be emphasised by every policeman,” he said.

Ramjattan frowned on the policemen, who are brothers, for also violating the Guyana Police Force’s rules about probing incidents in which they are victims. “The Standing Orders is that if their houses got burgled some other officer is to go and investigate, not them,” he said.

Police Commissioner, Leslie James earlier this week confirmed that two policemen, who are brothers, have been arrested for allegedly burning the 17-year-old boy at their home. They allegedly arrested him and took him to their residence where they allegedly tortured him during interrogation.

The boy was treated and discharged. He is currently at home resting, while police receive advice on the charges to be instituted on the cops.