Police probing reported assault that Granger calls “politically motivated”

Last Updated on Friday, 21 February 2020, 15:41 by Writer

Police Commander for Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Superintendent Crystal Robinson has confirmed that an incident of an assault is being investigated, but she could not immediately say whether it was politically motivated.

While police said the incident occurred on Wednesday, presidential candidate of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) David Granger said the Indigenous Indian man was assaulted Thursday night and that it was politically motivated.

Robinson declined to say whether it was politically motivated as she has to wait until she speaks with the victim.

Demerara Waves Online News/News-Talk Radio Guyana 103.1 FM understands that the incident has not been reported to the police.

The incident came to the public’s attention on Friday morning when APNU+AFC presidential candidate, David Granger confirmed that the victim is a supporter of the coalition. “We have received some very disturbing reports of hooliganism in Region Two that one of the persons associated with the coalition was badly beaten by thugs associated with another party and those reports are being investigated,” Granger told reporters while inspecting voting by soldiers at the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) headquarters at Camp Ayanganna.

Granger said his coalition has received reports that the man was “going about his business innocently” when he was pounced on by persons who could not be immediately identified. He said the incident would be reported to the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and he was convinced that it was politically linked. “We are convinced that the beating was politically motivated. It was not criminal or social; it was politically motivated,” he said.