Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Toshana Famey is calling for greater accountability and systemic reforms within the Guyana Police Force following the recent death of 44-year-old Hemat Kumar Mohamed while in custody at the Leonora Police Station lockups.
In a statement, Famey said that once a person is taken into police custody, the State assumes full responsibility for that individual’s life, safety and wellbeing.
“Every death in a police lock-up must be treated with the utmost seriousness until a full, independent and transparent investigation establishes exactly what happened,” she said. “Whether the initial report points to suicide, natural causes or something else, the questions should not stop with the officers who were on duty.”
Mohamed, who had been in custody in connection with the alleged murder of his wife, Shavannie Hanoman, was found hanging from the window grill inside the Leonora Police Station lockups on Saturday. The Guyana Police Force has since said the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Famey argued that the incident cannot be viewed in isolation, noting that Guyana has seen several deaths in police custody over the years.
“These incidents are no longer isolated,” she said. “We have seen deaths in police custody occur in different divisions over several years.”
She further pointed to what she described as a troubling pattern, noting that four previous deaths in police custody occurred in divisions that were commanded by Assistant Commissioner Khali Pareshram.
“He was not the officer standing outside the cell, but he was the senior officer in charge of those divisions. When the same kind of tragedy keeps happening, it is only fair that those leading the institution are also asked what is going wrong and what they are doing to stop it.”
The Opposition MP also said the same level of scrutiny should extend to the Commissioner of Police.
“The tone is set at the top. What senior leaders allow, ignore or insist upon eventually becomes the standard throughout the Force. If the same problems continue to surface in different divisions, it is reasonable to ask whether the issue runs deeper than the officers on duty.”
Famey stressed that leadership is not only about responding after a tragedy but preventing one from occurring.
“Leadership is about preventing these tragedies before they happen. That means making sure proper suicide risk assessments are carried out when detainees arrive, welfare checks are done on time, CCTV systems are working, lock-up procedures are followed, and officers know how to recognise and respond when someone may be at risk of harming themselves.”
She said every death in police custody should prompt a thorough review of policies, supervision and accountability within the Guyana Police Force.
“Every death in police custody should prompt serious reflection on whether the leadership of the Guyana Police Force is doing enough to prevent the next one,” Famey added.
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