A small group of persons on Thursday stood in front of City Hall holding placards once again calling for the Mayor, Patricia Chase-Green and Town Clerk, Royston King to be arrested and dismissed from duties for allegedly attempting to “cover up” allegations of sexual assault committed on a 15-year-old boy by a City Constable.
“Every single body who knew about this and kept it under wraps should be punished in some way,” Akola Thompson, an activist said.
Another picketer told media operatives that since the group’s first protest, the accused City Constable has since been charged. However, according to him, justice has not been served since the Mayor and Town Clerk are “accessories to the crime after the fact.”
“There are no charges or nothing of the sort against the Mayor and the Town Clerk who knew, according to [Chief] Constable (Andrew) Foo who said that within six hours of this crime occurring, the Mayor and the Town Clerk knew of it and they lied to the people…We need accountability,” Don Singh said.
Singh also called on the Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan to intervene and sanction the duo.
Moreover, another protester contended that in addition to Chase-Green and King, the former Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan is also to be blamed for the alleged cover-up.
“The Legal Affairs Committee, I understand is chaired by none other than Sherod Duncan. Therefore, all of them are equally guilty of trying to cover up this incident,” Jonathan Yearwood asserted.
The protesters avowed that they will continue to stage protests in front of City Hall, every Thursday until appropriate action is taken.
INews had reported that a 15-year-old boy was taken into custody on August 17, 2017 and placed before the court on a charge of wandering.
At some point during his detention for reasons unknown- between August 22 and August 23- the minor was transferred to the Regent Street Outpost where an alleged sexual act was carried out involving the child and the accused, Lance Corporal Clifton Pellew.
Officer Quacy Baveghems had reportedly informed his superior of the act, claiming that he had witnessed it. However, as an investigation began into the matter, it was discovered that Baveghems did not make a written entry of the incident in the station diary.
Pellew and Baveghems were then dismissed, after receiving a letter signed by the Town Clerk.
Pellew, the alleged perpetrator was dismissed for “gross misconduct of carrying out a sexual act on a juvenile” while his colleague was sacked for dereliction of duty in failing to intervene or make an entry of the incident in the station diary.
The issue was brought to light after former Deputy Mayor, Sherod Duncan took to social media to question whether the Town Clerk should be disciplined as well, since according to Duncan, King had interviewed the alleged victim and failed to submit a report to the Legal Affairs and Security Committee.
In an invited comment, Chase-Green had told this publication that the decision to dismiss the officers came following the discovery of new evidence.
“There were some additional information that was brought to the council’s attention and some video tapings. Based on those video tapes, and even though it was still an alleged allegation, in the best interest of the Constabulary and the Organization the Town Clerk as administrator of the city of Georgetown would have dismissed them both,” Chase-Green added.
She had noted that following the dismissal of the Officers, the Police were called in and the matter is now in their hands.
Meanwhile, in 2016, it was reported that the accused was involved in a matter of similar nature. However, nothing came out of the issue as the juvenile then, did not pursue it. (Ramona Luthi)
