…says shortage of resources putting a strain on Department
One hundred and eighty (180) new detectives are expected to join the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) by the end of 2017 to ease the constraints of the unit and assist in effectively conducting investigations.
This is according to Senior Superintendent and Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum on Thursday.
“We have some constraints with ranks… Most of our detectives have to attend court almost every single day to testify in criminal matters … so that’s putting a strain on us. That’s why this year, our target with regards to CID applicants is 180 CIDs. So we have to commence our training program and we intend that at the end of the year, we have 180 CID ranks and that’s going to assist us a lot in terms to our effectiveness,” he explained.
Blanhum noted that the department is still working on several old cold cases, but due to the shortage of resources [ranks], matters have been prioritized so that most of the attention goes to the “easy to crack” cases.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that three cold cases involving Monica Reese, Trevor Rose, and Sheema Mangar are still open.
“We have three cases that we are working on presently. We would have re-opened those cases [and] interviewed witnesses, but we have other matters that we have been dealing with.”
When Inews probed for an update on the matters, the Crime Chief responded that he did not want to compromise the investigation.
“At this point in time we cannot divulge any further information on those cases. I won’t even comment about progress. .. if I go to the information it might compromise the investigation.”
On April 9 1993, the body of a security guard identified as Monica Reece was dumped from a speeding pickup vehicle in the vicinity of the Geddes Grant building (now Courts) on Main Street, Georgetown.
The police had picked up a suspect and questioned him and also detained a vehicle he sometimes drove, but shortly after, the lack of evidence caused him to be released and the vehicle returned.
On January 26 2014, popular designer, Trevor Rose was killed execution style on the East Bank Public road.
It was just after 05:00hrs on that fateful day, a motor car pulled up alongside the car that Rose and his female companion, Latoya Towler, were in.
Reports indicated that the driver of the car which Rose was in, had an exchange of words with the occupants of the other car, who then exited the vehicle and opened fire on them, hitting Rose to the neck and upper body.
The female companion received a gunshot wound to the buttocks while the driver, Trevor Newinkiri sustained a wound to his left shoulder.
Rose was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
In addition, Sheema Mangar’s case is another which has not yet been solved. She was a Demerara Bank employee who was murdered in September of 2010.
Mangar was run over by a car on North Road, close to Camp Street, after she struggled with the driver to recover her cellphone which had been snatched from her.
When her phone was taken, the young woman gave chase behind the perpetrator who entered a motorcar. She reportedly placed herself in front of the vehicle in an effort to stop it as it drove off but was run over and dragged several meters before the vehicle sped away. (Ramona Luthi)
