‘What’s the holdup?’ – Mother of shot teen queries

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – “I’m keeping my cool” said Marcel Griffith, the mother of 15 – year – old Alex Griffith who was shot in his mouth by a Cadet Officer on April 30, as she inquired why, after 38 days the Officer who shot her son is yet to be charged.

The woman who claimed she is frustrated said “I can’t understand how my son get shot so long and nothing ain’t happen yet.”  The elder Griffith said the last time she heard from the police was approximately three weeks ago when she was informed that the police file was being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

She said since then no one from the Force has made any contact with her and she has refused to make contact lest she is accused of interfering in the investigation.

“I’m here trying with my son, no one is helping, and no one is saying anything… what’s the holdup?”

Information reaching iNews indicates that the Officer will be charged soon, consequent to advice from the DPP and will appear in court next week. Efforts to contact the DPP and Crime Chief at the time this story was being written were unsuccessful.

The delay in charging the Officer has resulted in several Human Rights organizations and political Parties speaking out on the issue.

The shot teen was allegedly dragged from his mother’s East La Penitence home on the night of April 30 and shot in the mouth by Cadet Franze Paul who claimed that the teen had witnessed the robbery of his female relative.

Calls have been mounted from all corners of society for there both criminal and departmental charges lay against the officer and his accomplices and the delay in doing so has certainly increased the speculation of a cover afoot.

The debate is that the Officer was wrong to leave his division where he was stationed –‘C’ Division – and travel to ‘A’ Division to investigate as he claims, a robbery committed on a female relative which Griffith allegedly saw but has denied.

Additionally, the Officer was censured from removing the teen from his home in a reported violent manner and interrogated him in the absence of a guardian.

What seems to have raised eyebrows was the revelation that the cop played Russian roulette with the teen before he finally shot him.

Relatives have reasoned that the cop’s intention was to kill and should be prosecuted along those lines without fear or favour. Meanwhile, the family has refused a $1M settlement offered by the Officer.