Police Corporal Lawrence Carmichael, 27, of Seafield Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) was this morning granted bail in the sum of $1.5M after he was charged in relation to the horrific Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) accident that claimed the lives of two young persons.
Carmichael was charged with two counts of dangerous driving when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged that on February 2, 2022, the cop drove a Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued vehicle in a dangerous manner which led to the deaths of 20-year-old Christopher Bhagwandat of Mon Repos, ECD and his 16-year-old girlfriend, Shereeda Persaud of Bath Settlement, WCB.
Attorney Dexter Todd, who is representing the policeman, argued that this matter should not have found its way in a criminal court, but rather, it should have been dealt with via a Commission of Inquiry (COI).
“Because, what needs to change, is policy,” he contended. “A policeman pursuing a suspect is permissible under the law,” the attorney added, noting that the policymakers need to relook at the protocols governing the police’s pursuit of a suspect.
He reasoned that what must now be considered is when and under what circumstances should a police officer terminate a pursuit.
“That is something that has to be addressed and that has to be addressed through a policy level, that cannot be addressed through a criminal court,” Attorney Todd posited.
Acknowledging that there is “no watering down that two lives have been lost”, the lawyer insisted that the situation requires the policymakers to go back to the drawing board and work on a new policy for police officers.
“And from a policy, it has to move to training,” he noted.
Meanwhile, family members of the deceased, who gathered outside of the court, expressed dissatisfaction that the cop was granted bail.
“This is not justice…me belly ah bun…we need justice,” one relative contended.
On the day of the accident, the young man was driving motorcar PNN 8852 when it was reportedly stopped by traffic ranks at Perseverance, Mahaicony, ECD.
The young man pulled in the corner but as the cops approached, he reportedly drove away at a “fast rate of speed”.
A mobile patrol was alerted and went into pursuit. This resulted in a high-speed chase, culminating in a four-vehicle collision involving another motorcar and a canter at the Mahaica Bridge, ECD.
The police vehicle had three officers, including the driver – all of whom had received injuries in the accident.
The family members of both the deceased had heavily criticised the police, claiming that their response to the situation was unprofessional.
