SWAT Boss: More than just a Whiskey scandal

By Leroy Smith

Deputy Superintendent Motie Dookie, who was removed from the SWAT unit this week, is an officer who had many misgivings leading up to his present rank.

During the tenure of Henry Green as Commissioner of Police, Dookie was sent to the Guyana Defence Force for training as a cadet officer, a course he successfully completed.

However, shortly after returning to the Guyana Police Force, Dookie was demoted from the rank of Cadet Officer after it was discovered that he faked the certificates which he submitted to the Police Force to be sent on the cadet course.

For that, he was reverted to the rank of a Police Sergeant and transferred to the Timehri Police Station. While serving as a Sergeant at the Timehri Police Station, Dookie was charged and placed before the courts after another Police rank at the said station was shot to the chest with the weapon which was issued to Dookie.

In that matter, Dookie claimed that he was cleaning his weapon when a round went off and accidentally struck the police to his chest. The cop, who managed to survive the “accidental shooting” then indicated that he was no longer willing to offer any evidence against Dookie in the matter and the case was dropped.

News Room was informed that this came after the relatives of Dookie approached the injured cop and offered a settlement which was accepted.

As a result of the shooting incident, Dookie’s weapon was taken away from him and he made several verbal and written requests to have the weapon reissued to him but that was repeatedly denied by then Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell.

However, following the intervention of a senior functionary in Region 3 who is also a friend of former President Donald Ramotar, Brumell was reportedly ordered by Mr Ramotar to return Dookie’s firearm and that was done.

Contacted today, Mr Ramotar said that he could not recall getting involved, but said he would not deny same. He further confirmed that he is indeed a family friend of the Dookies’ and at one point even attended one of their weddings.

During that period, Dookie was still battling with his demotion from the rank of Cadet Officer to Sergeant but as the years progressed, that matter died off and Dookie began his rise through the ranks all the way to that of a Deputy Superintendent.

On December 30, 2017, Dookie, a senior officer was detained by junior ranks at a roadblock after the vehicle in which he was travelling was found to be ferrying thirty boxes of smuggled Johnny Walker Whiskey.

From the time Dookie was detained to now, his story continues to change as it relates to his involvement and or knowledge of the smuggled items in the vehicle. As it is now, however, the GRA is moving to question Dookie in relation to the development.

The Whiskey scandal resulted in Dookie being relieved of his post as the head of the SWAT Unit to being placed at the department responsible for strategic management.