By Leroy Smith
Following doubts surrounding the accident and subsequent death of late Assistant Commissioner Administration, Balram Persaud, the Director of Public Prosecution Shalimar Ali-Hack has ordered an inquest into the matter.
“An inquest is where the judiciary appoints a magistrate to conduct a hearing to clear up doubts regarding a particular incident. The inquest would see persons who would have submitted statements in the particular matter, being called upon to give evidence. During an inquest the Magistrate is referred to as a Coroner”
The News Room has been informed that the DPP on Monday sent the advice to the Guyana Police Force for them to go ahead with the inquest in the matter.
The now dead Assistant Commissioner of Police was hospitalised for several days after he was involved in an accident on the West Bank Demerara while he it is reported, was making his way to transit the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
After his hospitalisation, he was transferred from one private hospital to another and it was after being transferred to the latter that he succumbed to injuries suspected to have been sustained as a result of the accident
There were several reports as to how the crash involving the Assistant Commissioner occured and the police were never able to confirm if at the time of the accident, there was another person in the Assistant Commissioner’s Force issued vehicle.
The General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic Clement Rohee, who once served as the country’s Home Affairs Minister has gone on the record as suggesting that there was some amount of foul play in the accident of Balram Persaud.
Balram Persaud was on annual leave at the time of the accident and he was expected to head into retirement later this year after serving the Guyana Police Force for more than two decades. At the time of his death, he was also the Force’s second in command.
