AFC Leader Calls for Top Cop to Step Aside Amid Public Outcry Over Adriana Younge Investigation
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News.
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Public trust in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues to deteriorate as the case surrounding the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge remains clouded in confusion, delays, and unanswered questions. The child’s lifeless body was discovered in the pool of the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, under circumstances that have prompted national outrage.
Amid a wave of public no-confidence in the police force and its leadership, Alliance For Change (AFC) Leader Nigel Hughes is calling for Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken to be placed on administrative leave to allow for an independent, impartial investigation.
“The continued presence of the current Commissioner of Police in office interferes with the conduct of a fair investigation into her death,” Hughes asserted.
A practicing attorney, Hughes emphasized that Hicken’s silence and failure to provide transparent updates has raised red flags about what information may be withheld from the public.
“We do not believe a credible, internationally conducted investigation can take place while he occupies that office,” Hughes said.
The call comes as public frustration intensifies, following weeks of mixed messaging, factual discrepancies, and retracted statements issued by the GPF—including an initial, now-disproven claim that Adriana had left the hotel premises before her body was found.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton also reignited calls for accountability within the police ranks, urging that former Region 3 Commander Khalid Mandal be charged with public mischief for disseminating false information early in the case.
“The Guyana Police Force must stop being political. A wanted bulletin should be issued for Mandal, and he must be charged for attempting to obstruct the course of justice,” Norton said.
The legal team representing the Younge family is now led by Dr. Dexter Todd, a well-known forensic science specialist and attorney. He has been critical of the GPF’s investigative inconsistencies and lack of clarity, particularly regarding forensic testing and the cause of death.
Despite the gravity of the case and its national implications, no substantial progress has been reported by law enforcement, prompting widespread calls for international oversight, independent forensic review, and greater government transparency.
