Prominent Attorney, Nigel Hughes is fuming about the comments made by Commissioner of Police (ag), David Ramnarine, who discredited the allegations made by an eyewitness to the March 15 shooting death of three suspected bandits by ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
In a statement issued to the media shortly after the Top Cop’s press conference today, Hughes said it is “unfortunate” that Ramnarine chose to publicly challenge a citizen “who was brave enough to come forward and provide a statement and who he has not had the benefit of interviewing.”
Lyte had claimed he was on the roof of a building under construction, but the Police have since said that statements from the contractor, the sub-contractor and the security supervisor prove otherwise.
However, Hughes has since released statements of two more witnesses who claimed they saw what occurred on the day in question, but he made it clear that these individuals are terrified for their safety and have no confidence in the Guyana Police Force to provide protection.
In relation to Lyte not giving a statement to the police as yet, the Attorney said that Lyte contacted him and expressed the collective fear of his entire family about his safety and protection.
“In an effort to persuade him that his fears were exaggerated I attended his home where I spoke with his grandmother and sister both of whom were adamant that he would not be attending any police station as they were afraid for his safety and that of their family,” Hughes noted in his statement.
The lawyer further noted, “Needless to say the absence of confidence which several eyewitnesses expressed to me and other independent investigators about the ability of the Guyana Police Force to protect their safety when their own officers are the subject of the allegation of murder has been confirmed by the statements of the Commissioner.”
The Attorney confirmed that he visited the site on Wednesday where Lyte was and was told that Lyte was not on the roof at the time of the shooting; however, he explained that he learnt from another source that the contractor was interviewed by the Police prior to his arrival and was in fear of losing his contract with the Government to repair the building.
“Today I have personally interviewed two additional eyewitnesses who were at much closer proximity to the shooting and whose line of sight was considerably more proximate than that of Mr. Lyte,” the Attorney said.
Hughes said he spoke to both the Minister of Public Security and the Crime Chief about the fears of the witnesses about their safety.
“In light of the considerable fear and apprehension felt by eyewitnesses who have provided me with statements of the events of the 15th March 2018 the family of Mr. Cordis is of the opinion that it is beyond the capacity of the Guyana Police Force to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the death of Dexroy Cordis.”
“These statements have disclosed a frightening chronology of events which have cast not only grave doubts on the version of events provided by the Commissioner of Police but include a recount of one of the police officers turning his guns on a group of persons who were playing football at the Guyana National Service ground when they were observed looking on at the events.”
“Both of these witnesses have expressed little confidence in the ability of the Guyana Police force to protect them and in the light of the public statements and treatment of Mr. Lyte by the Commissioner of Police who commented with the benefit of an interview with him, the fears of the fears of the two witnesses along with that of Mr. Lyte are now fully justified.”
