Kitty Police Station ranks under probe; firearms seized from businessman caught brutalizing daughter
The Police Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is investigating the alleged unprofessional handling of a matter by ranks of the Kitty Police Station in Georgetown as it relates to a young woman who was abused by her father for years.
“The OPR investigation will ascertain when the report was made and what actions were taken against the alleged perpetrator, who is a popular businessman,” Police Headquarters revealed in a statement Friday night.
The investigation was launched following the circulation of a video on social media where the businessman was observed slapping, cuffing and kicking the young woman inside his store in full view of one of her brothers and other employees.
At the time of the brutal assault, the man’s firearm could be seen on his waist as he pounced on his very petite daughter. He also reportedly threatened to shoot and kill her.
The man’s store is located in close proximity to the Kitty Police Station and he is said to have a very close relationship with the ranks there, including the Station Sergeant.
As a matter of fact, the Facebook page of the business place recently shared a photo of the newly appointed Commissioner of the Police (ag) Clifton Hicken and the businessman posing together as they congratulated the Top Cop of his appointment.
The News Room understands that the photo was posted on the day the victim made the police report. That photo has since been removed from the page.
The young lady has since accused the ranks at the Kitty Police Station of unprofessional conduct in their investigation of her report; she said they misinformed her of the process to get her father arrested and acted unprofessionally when she made the report.
“The OPR has launched an investigation with a view to determine whether all the SOPs were followed by the investigating ranks from the Kitty Police Station,” the police statement noted.
FIREARMS SEIZED
Even though the businessman was subsequently arrested and charged for the brutal attack, his two firearms were not seized by the police.
It was only after the young woman made her story public on Friday that the police made efforts to confiscate the weapons.
“In light of the video circulating on social media, the police went to the businessman’s home where he was questioned whether he was a licensed firearm holder to which he said ‘yes’ and a 9mm pistol and a shotgun, as well as matching ammo, were subsequently seized and lodged at the Kitty Police Station with the Station Sergeant,” the police noted in their statement.
The young victim said she did not feel safe when she reported the matter to the Kitty Police Station on March 28, 2022, but the businessman was only arrested on March 31.
She told the police that the abuse occurred on March 25 at 16:42hrs.
The man was charged on April 1 for the offences of ‘Inflicting Grievous Bodily Harm and Threatening Language’.
He appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court 2 before Magistrate Leron Daly and pleaded not guilty. He was placed on 300,000 bail for the charge of ‘Inflicting Grievous Bodily Harm’ and $100,000 for the ‘Threatening Language’.
ABUSED FOR YEARS
The young victim, during her interview with reporter Leroy Smith on Friday, revealed that she has been brutalized by her father for years; the abuse also extends to her stepmother and other siblings who reside with him.
She only managed to come forward now because the latest beating was captured on CCTV cameras inside the store and she managed to get hold of a copy.
After that incident, she claimed that she was locked up inside the house for two days after which she managed to call the 914 hotline and reported the incident.
She is now in a safe place but threats have been made to her life and efforts are being made to hack into her email and other social media accounts, the News Room was informed.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of any form of abuse, please call the 914 hotline.
