Charges against Policemen in ‘Damien Belgrave’ shooting dismissed – Mother recounts trial in tears

 

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – The charges that were brought against two Policemen for the shooting death of Damien Belgrave on October 5, 2012 outside the Fish shop were dismissed on May 8, 2014.

According to reports, the dismissal came after police presented ballistics reports which disclosed that the bullet which killed Belgrave was not fired by either rank who were charged but by a third Policeman.

A grieving and teary eye mother, Donna Sulker recounted her presence throughout the preliminary inquiry, where she said she always felt like justice would not be served.

“I feel like the Former Commissioner’s promise that justice will be served was a bluff, it was a bluff,” Sulker told the media at a press conference on Wednesday, May 14.

Also speaking on the matter was Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Cathy Hughes. She questioned, “How is it possible that the Guyana Police Force, who was in possession of its own ballistic report, not prosecute the Police Officer who shot and killed innocent Belgrave?”

She posited that the trial was a pretense of a prosecution which they must have known was bound to fail. According to Sulker, police had told her that when they visited the home of the third policeman he was not there and no other effort was made to arrest him.

The parents along with the AFC have demanded an immediate and independent investigation into the matter.

“When one takes this travesty into account and couples it with the most recent act of police aggression against private citizens… there is little confidence that justice that justice will be served in the case of the 15 – year – old that was shot in his mouth by a police officer,” Hughes said.

She further questioned, “How can the Guyana Police Force ever hope to win the confidence of the people when such acts of extra judicial killings and shootings go unpunished?”

Hughes told reporters that the list of complaints against the police force for using unnecessary force is growing and the Home Affairs Minister is clearly unable to rein in ‘rogue officers’ who seem intent on behaving like villains with a badge.

“How deep into disrepute does our police force have to sink before the government takes action to have comprehensive reform of the force?” the Parliamentarian asked.

The parents are demanding that the police carry out a proper investigation and ensure that the shooter who is clearly one of the three officers be brought to justice.

This dismissal of charges comes amid ongoing investigations into the shooting a 15 – year – old Alex Griffith in the mouth by a Police Cadet.