After being implicated in the execution of Godfrey Scipio, called “Saga”, Police intelligence rank, Corporal Derwin Eastman has surrendered to detectives at the Brickdam Police Station. This was confirmed by A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) Commander, Marlon Chapman.
His name was reportedly called by Aubrey Bobb, 26, of Kitty, Georgetown, who was arraigned for the murder. Bobb claimed that Corporal Eastman had loaned him the firearm to shoot the businessman as he was leaving a Kitty hotel in the company of a female last month.
After making the allegation, Eastman was contacted via mobile phone to visit the Criminal Investigations Department. On Wednesday last, another rank was taken into custody since his name was also called during investigations into the execution.
However, Eastman is of the view that he was set up, citing he was not in any way connected to the fatal shooting which occurred on October 12. He told reporters on Thursday that he was “set up” by members of the Guyana Police Force.
Moreover, he noted that he would have arrested the accused on several occasions for armed robbery and feels that the suspect is implicating him in the murder as “payback”.
Eastman is also holding out that after Scipio was killed, he along with other investigating ranks reviewed the CCTV footage and he was able to identify and name Bobb as the shooter. In light of the recent allegations, Eastman is requesting a confrontation between him and the suspect.
Eastman is reportedly being questioned based on a statement given to the Police by the suspect who is already incarcerated for the murder.
A senior Police rank told this publication that the bullet that killed Scipio did not match that the gun belonging to Eastman.
“We are however looking at all angles since we have reports that Eastman might have been involved in activities that are not consistent with policing duties.” With this in mind, the senior rank noted that investigations are continuing.
Corporal Derwin Eastman, who joined the Guyana Police Force in 2012, was commended for his exemplary work in the Force in 2015 and was awarded the Best Cop prize at the Force’s annual prize giving ceremony.
On the night of the fatal shooting, the well-known businessman was reportedly leaving the hotel in the company of a female and as he approached his motorcar, he was accosted by the lone gunman who arrived on a motorcycle.
Initially, the incident seemed as though it was a robbery since the gunman relieved the businessman, who is also called “Saga” of the gold chain he was wearing, but Police are now working on a theory that Scipio’s death might have been a hit.
After relieving the man of his jewellery and other valuables, the perpetrator reportedly fled the scene but not before shooting the businessman to the right-side of his abdomen.
Scipio fell to the ground and was picked up and taken to a private medical facility where he subsequently died. From reports received, he died as a result of severe damage to his intestines.
In April 2011, the businessman was shot at Cummings Lodge during a shootout after four armed men discharged rounds during a robbery.
