Claims Sons Were “Set Up”

By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News|

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – The Guyana Police Force’s account of a weekend intelligence-led sting operation in East La Penitence is being fiercely disputed. The mother of the two arrested brothers has come forward to accuse law enforcement of fabrication, claiming her sons are being deliberately targeted and victimized over an old grievance.

According to Regional Division Four ‘A’ investigators, the operation took place on Friday between 13:00hrs and 16:00hrs. However, the family of the accused is painting a radically different picture of what transpired.

According to the official police report, tactical ranks descended on an East La Penitence location based on intelligence regarding illegal firearm sales. Police allege that upon their arrival, one of the suspects discharged a round directly at a police rank, forcing officers to return fire. No injuries were reported during the brief exchange.

Investigators further claim that as ranks closed in, one of the suspects attempted to discard evidence by throwing a weapon through a nearby window. Officers state they successfully recovered a .32 revolver loaded with two matching rounds of ammunition.

The two brothers, identified as Jason Howard and Richard Howard, were subsequently arrested and escorted to the East La Penitence Police Station, where the firearm was lodged.

Speaking to Nightly News from the family home, the mother of the accused brothers strongly rejected every facet of the police’s narrative.

• No Shots From Suspects: The mother vehemently denied that either of her sons had a weapon or fired at law enforcement. Instead, she claimed it was a police officer’s firearm that accidentally discharged during the commotion of the raid.
• No Firearm Sale: She dismissed allegations that the brothers were attempting to broker an illicit gun sale to undercover operatives.
• Allegations of a Set-Up: The woman stated that her sons are being unfairly targeted due to a lingering, history-backed dispute involving a mutual friend and specific members of the police force.

While openly admitting that her sons have had previous brushes with the law, she maintained that their past should not make them easy targets for judicial framing.

“They are being set up and unfairly victimized,” she insisted, calling on senior police leadership to launch a transparent investigation into the conduct and motives of the ranks involved in Friday’s operation.

As the family demands an internal probe into the tactical unit, both Jason and Richard Howard remain locked down in police custody. Investigators are reportedly processing the recovered .32 revolver for ballistic and fingerprint analysis as they prepare to institute formal charges later this week.