The Guyana Police Force is once again being accused of brutality – this time for beating an Enmore, East Coast Demerara family, including a female, following reports that they were playing loud music.
The disturbing incident was caught on camera by neighbours on Tuesday and shows the ranks from the Enmore Police Station beating, slapping and dragging the family to the force vehicle.
The distraught and traumatised family spoke with the News Room Thursday and is calling for justice.
One of the siblings spoke with the News Room but asked that his identity is protected.
He explained that about 15:30h on Tuesday, he arrived home to find Police Officers at the house.
He said the cops asked for the owner of the car that was playing the music and so he told them that the owner – his brother – is asleep.
He claimed that the ranks then broke a window in the house and dragged the brother out of his bed to the Police vehicle.
He further explained that after his other siblings were arrested and taken to the Enmore Police Station, he took water for them and in a surprising twist he was also arrested.
The brothers were then taken to the Vigilance Police Station and the sisters were taken to the Beterverwagting Police Station where they were put behind bars and placed on $20,000 bail each.
They spent one night in police lockups.
The siblings remain in the dark as to why they were arrested and are also scheduled to appear in court next week.
Meanwhile, another relative who also prefers to remain anonymous said the two sisters who were arrested were further brutalized while in Police custody. One of them is a mother of three children and the other recently underwent surgery.
“The two girl when I go see them at the station, they were vomiting and the police lady kick them and the second one not too long she did an operation and she was vomiting bad,” the relative said.
Commander says ranks were assaulted first
When contacted by the News Room, Regional Commander, Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries Junor revealed that earlier on Tuesday the family was issued a warning by the Police against playing loud music.
Later while patrolling in the area, the officers heard the music continuing from the same location from a car and proceeded to investigate when they found several persons consuming alcohol.
According to the Commander, the officers yet again warned the family but they verbally and physically abused the lawmen.
“As a result of the development, the ranks summoned backup which led to a patrol responding to render assistance using the said vehicle in video. Injuries received by the ranks include abrasions about the body and wounding to the head for which stitches were administered.
“The police assaulting in the video was a reaction after being cuffed and kicked by the said female, which of course is not captured in the video,” the Commander justified.
