The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had advised the police to urgently conduct further investigations before deciding on whether to charge a 16-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting his best friend, 15-year-old Rockey Sawh.
The police were given this advice since November 2020. They were also instructed to have a probation report prepared and submitted on the alleged shooter. But almost two months later, the police are still to return the file to the DPP for further legal advice.
Sawh was shot dead by his best friend during a sleepover on November 17, 2020, at a Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown house. Sawh, a Cummings Lodge Secondary School student, resided at Lot 45 David Street, Kitty, Georgetown.
Police investigations revealed that the 16-year-old suspect invited Sawh over to his home and the two friends had a meal at about 18:00h. After eating, the teen suspect reportedly breached the lock of a locked wardrobe where a licensed .32 Taurus pistol owned by his father was secured.
Police said that after retrieving the gun, the teen then showed it to Sawh and accidentally pulled the trigger. As a result, Sawh was shot to the right side of his head and fell to the ground. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted in serious condition; he died.
According to Police, at the time of the accident, the suspect’s parents were not at home. A .32 Taurus pistol along with seven live matching rounds, a spent shell and 149 .32 rounds were retrieved from the scene, Police said.
The dead boy’s family, especially his grieving mother, Amrita Panday, has called out the Police for slothfulness in the investigations. In the meantime, the alleged shooter remains on $100,000 station bail.
