HGP Nightly News – Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond firmly addressed allegations of police brutality in connection with the death of a man in police custody, stating that authorities have reviewed footage that does not support the claims. “We have seen footage that does not bear credence to the claim that he was beaten by the police,” she said, drawing a clear and deliberate line between what is being alleged and what the evidence, as she sees it, actually shows.
The minister went further, leaving no room for ambiguity about where the Government stands on the treatment of people held in police custody. “There is no tolerance for that kind of behaviour or mistreatment of anyone in police custody,” she stated. “I have dealt with similar reports before, and they have been dealt with very seriously.” It was a firm and pointed response, but it comes at a moment when public confidence in how detainees are treated is being tested in more ways than one.
Even as Walrond was addressing those allegations, a second and entirely separate incident was demanding her attention. A video that began circulating online on Tuesday appears to show police officers beating a civilian and deploying a taser on them. The individual was reportedly taken to hospital after complaining of pain.
Walrond confirmed that the matter is now under active investigation and that a formal report has been requested. “These things are taken extremely seriously by my office,” she said, words that will be scrutinised carefully by a public watching two separate police incidents unfold within the same news cycle.
The brutality claims at the centre of Walrond’s initial response relate to the death of 30-year-old Jordan Payne of South Haslington, East Coast Demerara, who died while in custody at the Cove and John Police Station. Payne had been arrested on charges of assault, domestic violence and resisting arrest, and had been in custody since March 20th.
An autopsy has since revealed that he died from peritonitis, a severe and life-threatening infection of the abdominal lining caused by a perforated stomach ulcer, raising urgent and uncomfortable questions about whether he received any meaningful medical attention during the time he was in the state’s care.
Two police officers who were on duty at the time of Payne’s death have been placed under close arrest and are currently assisting an investigation led by the Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility. Toxicology samples have also been taken to determine whether any substances contributed to his condition.
The opposition APNU moved swiftly in the wake of Payne’s death, dispatching a legal delegation, including MPs and attorneys-at-law Dr. Dexter Todd and Ronald Daniels, to engage with the family and push for accountability. The party also successfully advocated for Dr. Karen Cummings, a former government minister and sitting MP, to serve as an independent medical witness at the autopsy, ensuring the examination was conducted under independent scrutiny.
