Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall will be taking legal action against the State following the death of 39-year-old Lallbachan Bachan who died while in custody at the Suddie Police Station lockup on Monday last.
While the Police are claiming that no marks of violence were found on the body when Bachan was discovered dead in the lockups, the man’s wife, 31-year-old Samantha Bachan and his mother, Maharanie Bachan have evidence to prove otherwise.
The mother produced photographs which depict several injuries to the face, legs, arm, back and neck.
The family spoke with members of the media at the South Road, Georgetown law office of Nandlall.
“There were only two injuries that were listed [on the Post Mortem report] but as I lift the shirt and I looked I saw about thirteen other injuries which were not listed,” the man’s mother told reporters.
Bachan was a father of four and a taxi driver of Maria’s Lodge, Essequibo Coast. He was first arrested on June 17 for driving under the influence of alcohol and was released on $20,000 bail.
But he failed to show up to court and two arrest warrants were issued for him, Police claimed and so he was taken into custody on Friday, June 28 but died three days later.
The post-mortem done on Monday last shows that he suffocated after suffering from a fractured larynx known as the voice box.
The Police have claimed that the fractured voice box could have been caused by a fall, but the post-mortem does not make that conclusion.
The family’s attorney said he will be writing the Director of Public Prosecutions seeking an immediate inquest into the man’s death.
Nandlall also plans to write the Commissioner of Police requesting a full-fledged investigation.
Additionally, Nandlall said he will be filing civil proceedings against the State for wrongful death to claim compensation for the wife and children.
Nandlall said the Police had no basis to keep the man in custody for a long period of time.
“The liberty of the subject must always be accorded priority and a police is duty bound in law to release a person under arrest as soon as is possibly practicable the investigations and everything here would have been concluded hence the charges already filed so what are you arresting the man and keeping him there for?” the lawyer questioned.
The News Room understands that the Police Complaints Authority is also investigating the incident
