Minister, Top Cop express disappointment in Police involved in bank robbery

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan and the Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud have both deemed the recent involvement of Police officers in an attempted robbery at a Republic Bank branch as “disappointing.”

“It comes as disappointing news, very disappointing news and though the force’s efforts have been to eradicate in a sense this rogue element from it, we still have persons who remain there,” Ramjattan said during an interview with reporters on Saturday morning (Jul 08, 2017).

He pointed out that it has always been a difficult issue for the force but it still has “an element or two that are doing the very rotten things as associating with masterminds for problems.” As such, he noted that it will always be a work in progress, pointing to enhanced efforts at the community and recruiting stage.

The Minister says efforts need to be made on a wider level to improve social, educational and cultural norms.

According to the Commissioner of Police, the Rural Constable and a regular Constable; one of whom had approximately three years experience in the force had “a scenario presented to them and that looks good and therefore, they take the chance and certainly there was no experience in that.”

He added that the Force gauges itself for many years to deal with unprofessional behaviour through its training programs.

A robbery at the Republic Bank, Water Street, Georgetown was foiled on Tuesday morning (July 04, 2017), after two men stormed into the bank as employees were reporting to work and one stood outside shooting into the air. Alert policemen and security personnel led to two of the men being captured and one killed.

It was disclosed last evening (Friday, July 07, 2017) that two police ranks from ‘A’ Division confessed to detectives that they were part of a gang of six which plotted the attack on the Bank. The men were up on Thursday night (July 06, 2017) in Laing Avenue. Additionally, another employee of Republic Bank was arrested.

Persons close to the investigations indicated to the News Room that CCTV cameras in the vicinity of Water Street picked up the two ranks in the company of the other three bandits on Tuesday morning (July 04, 2017) as they were making their way to the bank. The names of the two ranks who have since confessed have not been disclosed to the News Room.

By Bibi Khatoon