The emergence of a new video on social media has cast further serious doubts on the veracity and credibility of Head of the Police Special Branch, Prem Narine’s account of the events of the October 12th shooting in Kitty, according to the leader of APNU’s parliamentary team, Terrence Campbell.
In a statement yesterday, he said that the footage raises troubling questions that demand urgent answers and a thorough, impartial probe.
Campbell said that the public must be reminded that the administration of justice cannot be selective, nor can the credibility of an individual be spared scrutiny simply because that person’s allegations have resulted in the arrest and continued detention of others.
“First, there must be an immediate and independent investigation into Prem Narine’s conduct, followed by prosecution where the evidence establishes that criminal offences have been committed. The investigation must be free from political influence, institutional interference or any attempt to protect individuals from accountability. If the evidence establishes that false allegations were deliberately made, or that evidence was manipulated or misrepresented, those responsible must face the full consequences of the law.
“Second, the emergence of this video represents a material change in circumstances that must be considered in the further prosecution of the firearm charges against (Opposition Leader) Azruddin Mohamed et al, and in the determination of bail in the cybercrime charges against Azruddin Mohamed and Ryan Greene”, Campbell said.
He said that the new footage potentially undermines the factual foundation upon which the allegations against them have been advanced.
“It also raises serious questions about the reliability of the evidence and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
There is an important question of principle here. The risk of reoffending must be assessed objectively and on the basis of credible evidence. The State cannot simply rely on allegations that are now being seriously challenged while ignoring material evidence that has emerged since the initial bail determination. It would not be a stretch to say that the greater risk of reoffending lies with the State and its use of false allegations to prosecute political opponents”, Campbell charged.
Bail is not a determination of guilt or innocence. It is a fundamental safeguard against unnecessary pre-trial detention. Neither Azruddin Mohamed nor Ryan Greene should be made to endure continued incarceration on the strength of allegations whose credibility is now in serious question, Campbell said.
Campbell therefore called for:
1. An immediate, independent investigation into Prem Narine’s conduct and prosecution if the evidence establishes criminal wrongdoing.
2. The preservation, independent forensic examination and disclosure of the newly emerged video evidence.
3. An immediate reconsideration of the bail applications of Azruddin Mohamed and Ryan Greene in light of this material change in circumstances.
The rule of law, he said, demands impartiality, accountability and equal treatment before the law. No individual should be above scrutiny, and no individual should be deprived of liberty simply because the State has chosen to accept one version of events without adequately testing its credibility.
The new surveillance footage circulating online appears to show Narine, standing on the right-hand side of Barr Street, Kitty, with a gun pointed and firing towards the vehicle carrying Mohamed and his two employees.
The recording captures Narine beside a building with his arm extended in the direction of the vehicle discharging several shots during the controversial October 12 incident outside his residence.
The footage provides another view of the confrontation, which led to the arrest and prosecution of Mohamed, his driver Eugene Thorne and Mario Mohamed.
Mohamed’s lawyers maintain that he neither possessed nor fired a gun and say the newly uncovered surveillance recordings support his account of what happened.
Their position comes amid reports that a Senior Science Officer of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory claimed that tests conducted on Mohamed and Thorne returned positive results for gunshot residue.
During earlier court proceedings, defence attorney Siand Dhurjon alleged that Mohamed had been the target of an assassination attempt by Narine. He also alleged that a firearm had been planted and requested CCTV recordings of the incident.
Mohamed, Thorne and Mario Mohamed appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty on October 16 on charges involving alleged unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and attempting to obstruct the course of justice. All three were granted bail.
Mohamed subsequently showed reporters recordings from several angles during a press conference, where he gave a detailed account of his version of the confrontation.
The obtaining and sharing of CCTV recordings later became the subject of a separate police investigation. Constable Ryan Greene, who was attached to the Guyana Police Force Command Centre at Liliendaal, was arrested on October 26, while Mohamed was arrested on October 28.
On October 30, Greene and Mohamed were jointly charged before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court under the Cybercrime Act with unauthorisedly obtaining and giving electronic data.
The charge alleges that recordings relating to the shooting were obtained from a protected computer system at the Command Centre and passed to Mohamed without lawful excuse or justification.
Following the release of the new video, the Alliance For Change (AFC) called for an independent international forensic investigation into the October 12 shooting incident.
In a statement, the AFC urged the engagement of an internationally recognised law enforcement or forensic investigative authority with no political or institutional connection to any of the parties involved.
The party said the review should cover all recordings, including material held by the Guyana Police Force and footage already circulating publicly, alongside ballistic, firearms, photographic, medical and other forensic evidence.
“The emergence of new video footage in the public domain, together with the existence of additional video and forensic evidence reportedly in the possession of the Guyana Police Force, makes it imperative that the entire body of evidence be subjected to independent and credible scrutiny,” the AFC stated.
It called for investigators to examine the authenticity, integrity, timestamps and continuity of the recordings, including whether any footage had been edited, altered or manipulated.
The party also wants scrutiny of the chain of custody and handling of physical and digital evidence, and an assessment of whether the evidence supports the accounts given by the parties involved.
The AFC – which was a member of the governing coalition between 2015 and 2020 – said its request was intended to secure an investigation whose independence and technical credibility could withstand scrutiny.
“Public confidence in the Government and the institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law is being seriously tested,” it stated.
The party urged the Government to facilitate the review without delay and make its findings public.
There has been no public response from the government or the police force to the new video.
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