Cops in beef scandal on open arrest

Nov 06, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The four patrol ranks caught by their Commander on October 18 last with suspected stolen beef in their pick-up are on open arrest.

The suspected stolen beef found in the rank’s possession

According to Section 10 of the Police (Discipline) Act Chapter 17:01 when any member of the Force is placed under open arrest, he shall be deprived of all privileges and leave until the case is disposed of and he shall attend all parades and do duty as required.

The patrol ranks were found with the meat in their possession at Number 19 Village, Corentyne Berbice, Region Six by police commander, Shivpersaud Bacchus.

Speaking with the media on Thursday, Bacchus said that the ranks “were placed on open arrest, and are performing duties at the Force’s Tactical Service Unit (TSU)”.

He said that investigations are still ongoing into the allegations that they stole meat from a dead cow and has committed to updating the media on the outcome of the investigation.

The ranks were nabbed with the beef in the tray of the Force’s pick-up after a dead cow disappeared from an accident scene at Number 19 Village.

Kaieteur News was informed that the accident occurred along the No.19 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice around 01:00hrs on Tuesday, October 18, 2022. The accident involved a cow and a minibus driven by Aziz Goolmohamed, of Kilcoy/Chesney, Corentyne, Berbice.

A traffic rank arrived at the scene and took the necessary information from the minibus driver and he was reportedly advised to remove the branded section of the cow skin. Goolmohamed was told to take it with him to the Central Police Station in New Amsterdam and make a statement.

The traffic rank left and shortly after, the patrol ranks arrived in one of the Force’s vehicles bearing licence plate number PAB 3148. Goolmohamed and his relatives were questioned again by the ranks and they informed that the cow was hit by Goolmohamed.

The driver and his relatives reportedly observed one of the patrol ranks and some other persons cutting the cow with a cutlass. Trusting the patrol ranks, Goolmohamed and his relatives left the scene and their minibus behind to make a report to the police station with the branded part of the cow skin but when they returned, the dead cow was missing and only some internal organs were found close by.

Coincidentally, Commander Bacchus, accompanied by an officer, passed the area where the accident occurred shortly thereafter. His attention was drawn to a crowd of people on the road. He stopped and enquired what took place and Goolmohamed informed him about the accident and the missing cow.

The Commander reportedly made a call for the Patrol Unit to return to the scene. The ranks were unaware that the Commander was at the scene of the accident. On their return to the site, they too were involved in an accident with another cow and were delayed.

The Commander enquired of their location and visited them. Commander Bacchus on arrival discovered that the ranks had struck a cow and noted that in the tray of the ranks’ pick-up was beef.

The Commander made a cell phone video of the discovery and while recording, he could be heard saying, “You see the thing is Mr. Nedd, they want to embarrass us”.