Unlawful arrests and intimidation by Police remain issues, says Complaints Authority Chair

For the year 2023, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) received a total of 194 complaints levelled against ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

And, Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority, Justice (Ret’d) William Ramlal has pointed out that ranks within country’s premier law enforcement agency continue to misuse their powers in the execution of their duties, often resulting in persons being unlawfully arrested and intimidation of others.

Justice Ramlal made this revelation in his 2023 annual report, in which he highlighted that out of the complaints received, 119 were closed following preliminary investigations.

While, 53 complaints were rejected and another 22 are still pending investigations.

Out of these complaints, Ramlal said four matters involving the deaths of four citizens were referred to the authority for recommendation on the way forward.

However, since he did not supervise the investigation, Ramlal said that he could not write the report.

“There are a few instances where members of the force were criminally charged but yet still, they are still on active duty rather than being interdicted in keeping with the force’s standing orders,” Justice Ramlal said in the 2023 annual report.

Rightfully, in keeping with the law, he highlighted that once a rank is charged for a criminal or disciplinary offence, the rank should almost immediately be interdicted from duty.

But this is not always the outcome, thereby highlight breach of the law.

“I have learnt from members of the force that some of the ranks charged have settled the respective matter with the complainant. Surely if these criminal matters were lawfully settled or otherwise lawfully concluded there still remains the institution of disciplinary charges such members of the force,” Justice Ramlal added.

According to Justice Ramlal, about 95 percent of the Police he interviewed does not know “anything of significance” about their powers of arrest with or without a warrant.

“This has resulted in a large number of complainants being unlawfully arrested,” Justice Ramlal said in the report.

On the other hand, he said a “substantial” number of traffic ranks and others, misuse their powers of arrest to intimidate the citizens for favour or reward.

Similarly, he added that ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department misuse their power of arrest in summary convictions matters.

“Arrests are often carried out without any investigation being done or where there is no reasonable suspicion that someone committed any offence,” Justice Ramlal noted in the annual report.

To address this long standing issue, he recommended that ranks be trained about their roles and duties and the fundamental right of each citizen.