Police accused of beating 16- Year – old boy

By Kurt Campbell

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Another allegation of brutality has been leveled against ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

Shelton King claims that her 16 – year – old son, Denzil King was beaten by two police officers and is currently being detained at the Grove Police Station, East Bank Demerara, without any medical attention.

The mother told iNews that according to information she received, her son was involved in a non-violent altercation on Friday evening (September 20) with a girl while at fair organized by the Christ Church Secondary School in Georgetown.

She said she was informed by two of her son’s friends that moments later, while King was waiting on the park for a bus to his Cummings Lodge home, he was approached in very aggressive manner by two men.

The woman told iNews she was informed that her son retaliated using a scissors he possessed at the time, injuring one of the men to his hand. He later found out that the two men were in fact police officers, one of whom is believed to be the father of the girl King had an altercation with earlier.

King’s mother, who was hysterical at the time, related that it was also reported that her son was beaten from the park to the Brickdam Police Station by the ranks and was further abused upon his arrival at the facility.

“They say they kick him in his head, when I went and see him today, his head was swollen and he had bruises,” she added.

The distressed King has condemned the approach of the ranks and their resort to using force on the teenager.

“I feel bad, he wrong to bore the police….. But he didn’t know. I was also made to understand that the men also pull out a gun, they must change their approach when arresting people,” she said.

According to King, the police are yet to say what they are charging her son for and have so far refused bail. She is however hopeful the Close Circuit Televisions (CCTV) Cameras at the bus park will guide investigations since she intends to make an official report against the ranks to the Police Complaints Authority.

King described her son as a quite individual. “If you don’t trouble him, he don’t trouble you… he recently graduated from the Sophia training centre as a AC Technician.”

Ranks of the Guyana Police Force continue to come under criticism for what many say are high levels of police brutality and an unpleasant approach in the execution of their duties.

iNews made Contact with Police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker who said an immediate investigation will be launched into these allegations.