Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 01, 2018 News
– calls for independent investigation
Attorney at-law Nigel Hughes says he has interviewed two other eyewitnesses to the March 15 shooting at the seawalls that ended in the slaying of three men.
But Hughes, who is representing the interests of the family of Dexter Cordis, said that the individuals have all expressed fear of giving statements to the police. Cordis was one of the men slain on the seawalls on March 15.
The attorney also said that his clients believe that the police lack the capacity to conduct an impartial probe into the incident.
His statement came shortly after Acting Police Commission of Police David Ramnarine held a press conference in which he stated that self-proclaimed eyewitness, Devon Lyte, was never on the rooftop of the Education Ministry building from which he had claimed to have seen the police shoot the three men.
“I have personally interviewed two additional eye witnesses who were at much closer proximity to the shooting, and whose line of sight was considerably more proximate than that of Mr. Lyte,” Hughes stated in a release to the media.
“I also spoke to both the Minister of Public Security and the Crime Chief about the fears of the witnesses about their safety. This was prior to the Commissioner’s statements.”
EYEWITNESSS
In redacted statements provided to the media, one of the individuals stated that he was in the canteen located at the NIS ground just before noon when he heard “loud gunfire.”
“I assumed that it was target practice being conducted by the police but then some girls on the upper floor said, ‘Look shooting going on at the sea walls.’
“I then saw a black car and some men in plainclothes putting a man in the trunk of a black car.”
The ‘eyewitness’ said that the men then drove further east in the vicinity of the GNS ground. “I then heard three more shots. About 15 minutes, later I saw two police vans drive in the direction which the car had gone.”
In another statement, another ‘eyewitness’ claimed to have been eating lunch when about 15 Brazilian pastors entered the compound to play football.
They were on the field warming up, when there was the sound of rapid gunfire from the direction of the seawalls. A dark car was then seen in the area, along with a male and female, and others.
The rapid fire, which appeared to be closer, continued, but the ‘eyewitness’ did not see anyone.
The couple then clambered over the seawall, the ‘eyewitness’ stated, and the woman started to run back and forth on the wall.
According to the statement, the man “looked in our direction,” then put his hands in the air and lay on the ground. A “short man in burgundy shirt and bulletproof vest” and carrying an automatic weapon allegedly then went to the man on the ground, while some other men came to the scene.
It is alleged that “a red/burgundy vehicle and a silver-grey vehicle drove up and blocked the vision of the ‘eyewitness.’ Rapid gunfire was reportedly again hear. Two men in bulletproof vests allegedly drove the two vehicles to a black vehicle that was also on the scene. While five men with bulletproof vests ran east, “the short one in bulletproof vest remained standing over “the body.”
It is alleged that the men then turned their weapons towards the pastors, who fled from the field.
The ‘eyewitness’ then saw some of the men searching the black vehicle, while others ‘braced’ the dark-coloured one. Shortly after the men in the burgundy and silver-grey cars drove off, while the rest continued searching the area. “They eventually left, while “a tall, Indian-ish one in a bulletproof vest remained. Two police vehicles reportedly then arrived and the ranks strung yellow tape in the area.
“In the light of the considerable fear and apprehension felt by eye witnesses who have provided me with statements of the events of the 15th March 2018 the family of Mr. Cordis is of the opinion that it is beyond the capacity of the Guyana Police Force to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the death of Dexroy Cordis,” Hughes stated.
“These statements have disclosed a frightening chronology of events which have cast not only grave doubts on the version of events provided by the Commissioner of Police, but include a recount of one of the police officers turning his gun on a group of persons who were playing football at the Guyana National Service ground when they were observed looking on at the events.
“Both of these witnesses have expressed little confidence in the ability of the Guyana Police force to protect them and in the light of the public statements and treatment of Mr. Lyte by the Commissioner of Police…the fears of the two witnesses along with that of Mr. Lyte are now fully justified.
I personally telephoned both the Minister of Public Security and the Crime Chief today to express these fears.
“I confirm that on Monday afternoon Mr. Lyte met with Mr. Paul Williams Crime Chief in the office of the Crime Chief, Eve Leary.
“The sole purpose of attending the Crime Chief’s office was for Mr. Lyte to give a statement. The senior officer who Mr. Williams contacted was not available at the time and we agreed that we would return on Tuesday at lunchtime.
“In the intervening period, Mr. Lyte contacted me and expressed the collective fear of his entire family about his safety and protection.”
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