Cops charged with manslaughter, obstructing course of justice in death of man at Suddie Police Station
One year after the death of 39-year-old Lallbachan Bachan at the Suddie Police Station lockup, a female Lance Corporal was charged with manslaughter and two other officers were charged for attempting to obstruct the course of justice.
Woman Special Lance Corporal Vanessa Milo of Aurora Police Station appeared at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Ester Sam on Friday where she was slapped with a manslaughter charge.
She was not required to plea to the charge and was placed on $400,000 bail, Police said in a statement.
Detective Corporal Dwayne Braithwaite of Anna Regina Police Station and Constable Denzil Glasgow of Suddie Police Station also appeared in court where they were charged separately with the offence of Attempt to Obstruct the Course of Justice.
They too were not required to plea to the charges and were granted $50,000 bail each.
The case is adjourned to August 7, 2020, for report.
Bachan was found motionless inside the Suddie Police Station lockup on July 01, 2019.
Bachan, who was a taxi driver and a resident of Maria’s Lodge, Essequibo Coast, was arrested on July 27 following two warrants issued for driving under the influence of alcohol.
While the Police had said the body bore no marks of violence and he was the lone prisoner in the cell, his family provided photos to show that there were injuries to the face, legs, arm, back and neck.
The post-mortem showed that he suffocated after suffering from a fractured larynx known as the voice box.
On July 05, 2019, Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall took up the case against the State and wrote to the Police Commissioner and the Director of Public Prosecutions requesting a full investigation.
The man’s widow, Samantha Bachan told the News Room in a telephone interview on Friday and she is satisfied that her family will get justice but she still needs answers.
“I feel satisfied at least we know progress is being done…and I hope that later on, I will get justice. I need to see more. I want to know who did the act. Some of them were charged but we have not gotten all the information we needed as yet,” Samantha said.
The woman said she is left to care for her children ages eight and ten.
“It has been very stressful, very sad…I’m working at the Suddie Hospital and I’m trying to give [my children] everything they need and I’m getting by with God’s grace,” Samantha said.
Bacchan also has two other children with another spouse.
