Senior police officers from multiple regions are raising the alarm over persistent hurdles in securing successful prosecutions. Key challenges include reluctant witnesses, victims opting to settle serious matters out of court, and difficulties in accessing crucial evidence.
Assistant Commissioners Khali Pareshram (Region 4C), Dion Moore (Region Seven), and Kurleigh Simon (Region Ten) each detailed the obstacles their divisions face in ensuring justice is served.
“In terms of our prosecution, a lot of person will say it depends solely on the police because of how they conduct the investigation as recent there were some deliberations on social media in a particular incident.
“The thing is the police is just responsible for the investigation and in the magistrate or high court, it solely depends on what you have in black and white or via technology to present in court,” Pareshram explained during a recent episode of ‘Police & You’.
In Division 4C, Pareshram revealed a troubling trend over the past few years.
“We have seen an increasing number of matters being dismissed due to negligence of witnesses. One, witnesses are not appearing in court, and two, some victims are now going to court to settle the matters. We have even seen cases as serious as robbery being settled,” Pareshram stated.
According to Pareshram, this creates a cycle where offenders are released back into the community, only to reoffend.
“It does affect our cases, our prosecution rate, and it actually sends the suspect back in the same communities to commit again. So, when persons speak out against the police, it is not only the police, victims and witnesses also play a role,” Pareshram revealed.
Commander Pareshram further noted that technology is playing an important role to strengthen prosecutions. He said 70 security cameras have so far been installed targeted in communities.
“Since their installation, we have seen decreases in activities in those areas. We are pushing on the positive side with more technology in our prosecution,” he explained.
Over in Region Ten, Assistant Commissioner Kurleigh Simon, echoed similar concerns. He pointed to the reluctance of eyewitnesses to cooperate fully with investigations.
“You find that witnesses [or] eyewitnesses to crime, are very reluctant to come forward and to put their story in statement form. A victim would say, ‘this person was there,’ but when you contact them, they say, ‘I didn’t see anything,’ or ‘I don’t want to be involved,’ Simon said.
He also highlighted challenges in acquiring evidence from private businesses and residences.
“Even trying to get CCTV footage from residents and business places is difficult. The challenge can be very real,” Commander Simon said.
To counter these issues, Simon said the Force continues to build capacity and provide training for investigators and ranks, ensuring they are better equipped to handle prosecutions.
In Region Seven, Assistant Commissioner Dion Moore also pointed to witness-related challenges.
“Often, when you go to find a witness, the person no longer lives at their last known address. This puts the police in a very difficult position,” Moore explained.
Despite the hurdles, Moore reported high conviction rates in his division over the past years. And, now, Commander Moore said it is mandatory to conduct video interviews.
“With video interviews, the accused cannot divert or make excuses. It’s played in court, the judges can see, and they can make their decision,” Moore said.
The post Reluctant witnesses, out of court settlements hampering successful prosecutions – police commanders appeared first on News Room Guyana.
