Kaieteur News
PAGE 20
Thursday June 13, 2019
Another Berbice rank squeals on claims $1M collected by rogue corrupt colleagues -cops to keep suspect out of jail - Ramjattan urges investigation
W
ith a number of damning revelations made against several Berbice cops by two of their own, another one has mustered the courage to speak out. According to the cop, there is significant evidence of the connection between several of his colleagues and the criminal network in the Ancient County. Speaking under the condition that his identity will not be revealed, the rank disclosed that two others , collected $1M, in two parts, from the now dead bandit, Kelvin 'Kelly' Shivgobin to ensure that he would not be re-arrested in connection with a murder case that was dismissed in 2018 due to lack of evidence. In that matter, businessman Patrick Mohabir was murdered during the course of a robbery at his home and business place at Belvedere Village, where Shivgobin was arrested and charged. One of the 'corrupt' cops was said to have struck up a friendship with Shivgobin during that time. After the matter was dismissed from the courts, with Shivgobin allowed to go free, advice was given shortly after to have him rearrested and charged. However, according to the new whistleblower, somebody tipped off Shivgobin. According to the source, a deal was struck and it was agreed that $500,000 would
have to be paid by Shivgobin. That money, the source said, was collected by the two rogue cops. The numbers of both men were found in the phones of Shivgobin, who along with two others, was killed in the backdam of Black Bush Polder during a police operation, after a number of robberies in the area. A hire car driver who had linkages to criminal activities in the past was named as the person who transported the two ranks to uplift the money from Shivgobin at a location in Albion. However, after that amount was paid, not long after Shivgobin was contacted again by one of the 'dirty' cops and told that money that he already paid was not enough and another $500,000 would be needed to keep him from being arrested by his colleagues. "I know he had the file for the case in his possession and he say that advice was given to re-arrest this man, but when we went on patrol a time I know he take the money and we never hear back about the file. The file went in he possession for some time.” The source said one time he overheard a conversation between the rank and someone on the phone. He said he heard the man telling the person on the phone that the $500,000 was not enough because he had to pay his "boss-man" some from it and as such, he needed more.
The informant said that he confirmed that it was Shivgobin the rank was speaking to because he got a chance to see the number on the phone screen. DIVERSION According to him, at that time the patrol was already on the hunt for Shivgobin, but the detective directed the patrol vehicle to the hire car driver's house, while he (whistleblower) and the other rank said they were heading somewhere else. The informing rank stated that the money was purportedly uplifted then from Shivgobin. A legal source yesterday said that it is not unusual for legal advice to be missing from police files. Kaieteur News also confirmed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was awaiting the deposition in case to be sent and that has not been done. Meanwhile, adding to the list of allegations brought forward, the 'rogue cop' who has made it known many times that he is being covered by a senior cop in Georgetown, had asked a murder accused while he was in their custody, under questioning, to "bring forward $400,000 fuh leh he go free". H o w e v e r, t h e m a n reportedly told the detective that he did not commit the crime they were accusing him of, and as such he would not be giving any money. The mother of the
accused confirmed the information and stated: "He tell me son fuh give he $400,000 fuh the matter go away and me son keep on saying he nah do nothing so why he go pay any money". T h e m a n w a s subsequently hauled before the court for the murder and the police then had claimed that he confessed. Another police whistleblower had insisted that the teen never confessed. In fact, confessions are done on video but in that case, there was no video confession. That matter is currently ongoing. The second police informant said: "If he had confessed, they would have had it on video, they don't have it. We heard that a friend of 'Kelly' paid the detective fuh pin the crime on somebody for that murder.” In that case, a wanted bulletin was issued for the now dead Shivgobin for questioning in connection with the murder. It was only a few days ago when a police rank in Berbice came forward with the damning allegations that the numbers of several of his colleagues were found in the call log and contact list of one of the dead bandits killed in Black Bush Polder during a shootout. The first whistleblower had also stated that the rank is being protected by a high ranking police from Georgetown whom he once allegedly paid $120,000 to
Paid cops to stay out of jail: The now dead, Kelvin Shivgobin have him sent back to Berbice after he was transferred to the Tactical Service Unit in Georgetown for a gun-related matter. STILL IN CHARGE Kaieteur News was also told that the said senior policeman is often seen imbibing at a popular gambling spot on the Corentyne, a location the source had said is a haven for questionable characters. T h e s e c o n d whistleblower also confirmed that the senior cop received that payment to have the "dirty cop" transferred back to Berbice. “Is everybody who you ent really expect involved in certain things and it got to stop man. Is the whole force looking bad when it got some bad characters tainting the image. The big ones dem doing it and they linking some junior ones to keep it going.” He too is calling for an independent investigation to
be done into the allegations leveled. They are of the firm belief that if the said senior police from Georgetown is heading the investigation then "nothing will come out of it". Both ranks had said that the numbers of four ranks were found in the cellphones of one of the bandits, Meanwhile, q u e s t i o n e d y e s t e r d a y, Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, said that while he has not been briefed by the Commissioner of Police, Leslie James, it is not surprising. He acknowledged that in almost every country, one would expect some collusion between law enforcement and criminals. “If that is the case here well I won't be surprised. I would want further investigation to verify its truthfulness and authenticity, and of course, to get those who would might be involved criminally prosecuted.”
Region 10 Regional Chairman vows to take action against river obstruction
R
egional Chairman, Mr. Renis Morian, has made it clear that he and his Council will not sit by and allow the actions of a few to create undue difficulties for residents of Region 10. The Regional Chairman was at the time speaking at the most recent sitting of the Regional Democratic Council statutory meeting, where he issued an ultimatum to have a dragger (a water dredge that is used to do mining) removed. The dragger in question is positioned in the vicinity of Surapana Farm and according to Morian, if moves are not made swiftly to address this issue those responsible will have to face the ire
Region 10 Regional Chairman, Renis Morian of affected residents. According to the Regional Chairman, a great deal of the
region's agricultural activities are done along the river and creeks, thus the presence of the dragger has had a negative impact. He noted too that a number of residents depend heavily on the river water to take care of their farms which are being obstructed. He said that while the dragger near Surapana Farm is somewhat hidden, he and others are nevertheless aware of its presence in the river. “If you look for them (draggers) by the bridge, you wouldn't see them. We went through this same thing last year. I am appealing to the powers that be to address this
matter, because when I was coming in - and this is the part that is disturbing me - some persons told me that they are not coming to me again on this matter,” he said. Morian revealed that he was told that there is a plan being hatched by some residents to take matters into their own hands. “I can't repeat what they said they will do, but what we want is to keep the peace in Region 10. I know what they plan to do will result in the peace being disturbed, but it boggles the mind to know that even after bringing this situation to the attention of the GGMC and the Ministry of Natural Resources, since last year, we are having the
problem again,” he noted. “The people will do things that we don't want them to do. We don't want the peace that we have to be eroded,” said Morian, adding that he would not repeat the actions some residents have threatened, but warned that if implemented they can have some serious consequences which he would rather prevent altogether. This is in light of the Regional Chairman's desire to see Linden embrace a reputation of being a peaceful community, although he did share his willingness to help “defend any actions or inactions that seek to place the (continued on page 22)