By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News
The Guyana Police Force has confirmed that Bhojnauth Bhola, the owner of the Double Day Hotel, has been released from custody amid the ongoing investigation into the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge. Bola, who had been detained following the discovery of Younge’s body in the hotel’s swimming pool, has been ordered to report daily to the police while the investigation continues.
Additionally, the Immigration Department has placed Bhola on a travel blacklist, preventing him from leaving the jurisdiction. Meanwhile, DNA samples taken from both the hotel owner and Adriana Younge are scheduled to be flown to the Mount Sinai Health System in New York for advanced forensic analysis.
The police force continues to face intense public scrutiny after releasing a false initial statement claiming Younge had exited the hotel and entered a red and black Raum vehicle. That account has since been discredited by security footage and ongoing investigations.
The police are now blaming the incorrect report on a civilian employee stationed at the police command center, who has since been placed on administrative leave. They claim the employee entered an incorrect date while reviewing CCTV footage, leading to a critical misstep in the early investigation.
Further complicating matters, a sergeant from the Special Constabulary reportedly misled fellow officers by stating she received a call from an anonymous male claiming to have seen Younge leave the hotel. Investigators later arrested the caller, only to discover that he is well acquainted with the constabulary officer involved.
In total, five police personnel—including a corporal, a constable, and Assistant Commissioner Khalid Mandall—have been placed on administrative leave or relieved of duties over the mishandling of the case.
As pressure mounts from the public and civil society for justice, questions remain over systemic failures within the Guyana Police Force and how such misinformation was allowed to shape the initial narrative in a case that has gripped the nation.
