Police to be tried on baton-rape saga

The two police officers, Roslyn Tilbury and Devin Singh accused and charged for assaulting and causing actual bodily harm to Colwyn Harding made their second court appearance before Magistrate Leron Daly at the Providence Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning.

Speaking to Guyana Times International via telephone, the defendants’ lawyer, Attorney Leslie Sobers (he represented the number one accused Devin Singh in the absence of his lawyer), related that the Police Prosecutor assigned to the case, Sergeant Shelon Daniels informed the Court that she wished to recuse herself from prosecuting her colleagues.

“The Prosecutor indicated to the court that she did not wish to prosecute the matter because she was asked to give some statements… so the chances are that another person will be called to prosecute. And to ensure that there is no likelihood of biasness, it will be fair for her to not prosecute the matter,” Sobers said.

Sobers disclosed too that Singh confided in him that he had felt threatened and fearful for his life and this prompted his jumping of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts fence after being released on bail on Tuesday. “It was reported to me by Mr Singh because I acted as his lawyer, as his lawyer was absent and the two are charged jointly on one charge; he mentioned that as he was about to emerge from the chute of the court, someone who was holding a camera to his face; that person drew a knife. Upon seeing that, he ran back into the chute, back up the steps and into the court before he made his way out of the court and was caught on camera by the media,” the attorney disclosed.

Asked whether he believes Singh’s statement, Sobers stated that he was not there at the time and he can only believe what was related to him. “I don’t know whether what Mr Singh is saying is true or not. I was walking with my client coming down the stairs because females do not go through the chute and as we were leaving I saw the journalists running so I was left wondering what had happened, so I made it my duty to find out from Mr Singh what had transpired and that is what he disclosed to me. So I do not know what transpired,” he responded.

The lawyer explained that the trial will commence on June 24 for the statements to be presented and the Prosecution has its work cut out, since he has requested that they make available to him all the witnesses’ statements which were submitted in the case so that they can be studied, including the statements of those persons who will not be called upon to testify.

Tilbury and Singh were jointly charged with causing actual bodily harm, while Officer Singh was charged with common assault. Harding had alleged that he was raped by Singh with a condom-covered baton while he was in custody at the Timehri Police Station in November 2013.

 The officers will make their next court appearance at the Providence Magistrates’ Court on June 24 for the statements to be presented and examined.