Bartica Magistrate, Crystel Lambert on Friday issued a warning against the two Ukrainian security guards, Vitaly Paraschuck and Maksym Furtak who were slapped with several assault charges back in August after they were allegedly seen assaulting Guyanese miners in a video that went viral.
The warning was issued after Magistrate Lambert reportedly told the court that persons acting on behalf of the accused made attempts to contact her relatives in relation to the matter.
The magistrate related that she would not tolerate such actions and as such told the attorney representing the men to ask their clients to refrain from doing same.
The men were arrested days after the incident, after the Police sought legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Thirty-eight-year-old Paraschuck has been slapped with two counts of threatening behaviour and assault causing actual bodily harm committed on Guyanese miner Charles Clarke. And 33-year-old Furtak has been charged with threatening behaviour committed on Rudolph Deane.
The men were also charged separately for contravention of the Private Security Services Act of 2009, for failing to wear their uniform.
However, the men were released on $50,000 station bail, each, and were ordered to lodge their travel documents at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
It has been reported that the assault on the two miners took place at the Quartzstone River in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
One of the aggrieved miners was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was examined and treated by a doctor. He was discharged, and would have led a team of Police ranks to the area, resulting in the two Russian guards being arrested.
Upon their arrest, they were informed that at the time of the incident, they were not attired in the uniform prescribed by their employer and approved by the Guyana Police Force.
Following the incident, Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has noted his concern with regards the content of the video.
“I am concerned about foreigners having weapons; licenced weapons. I am told that precepts were issued. A precept is really a kind of permission given by the Police Force to persons to act as security guards and also to carry firearm licences. I am concerned about that, and the number of persons who may have them,” Trotman disclosed.
Trotman explained that the interior is known to be “Wild West”, and so the number of guns present there would have a direct bearing on the levels of crime and violence in the area.
Also weighing in on the issue, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has called on the Government to send a strong message regarding its responsibility and commitment to respecting and defending the sovereignty of Guyana, its people and the Rule of Law.
