Top Cop lambastes Magistrate over “derogatory” comments

Police Commissioner (ag), David Ramnarine believes a Springlands Magistrate has “an axe to grind” with investigators who are involved in the piracy attack case.

He was at the time responding to comments made by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh towards investigators of the Guyana Police Force’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today, during the appearance of two suspects in the deadly pirate attack off the coast of Suriname in late April.

News Room reported that the Magistrate accused the Police of “behaving like bunch of jokers” as there was confusion by the Police to either proceed or withdraw charges against two prime suspects, Premnauth Persaud called “Sinbad” of Cromarty Village and Nakool Manohar, 39, called “Fyah” of Number 43 Village.

In a statement late on Wednesday, the Commissioner (ag) said the statements made by the Magistrate were “insulting and reckless and certainly should never have been uttered.”

He alleged that the Magistrate was removed from presiding over a very high profile matter of murder in which the very investigators were involved.

Further, he labeled the Magistrate as “inexperienced” and “unschooled.”

Defending the investigators, he noted that the investigations were conducted with due diligence required, adding that the ranks worked “well over and above the normal call of duty (and) in oftentimes difficult circumstances,” to get to the current stage of the case.