Dismissal of murder case: Ex-cop charged over “wilfully” staying away from court to not testify
(T-L Dead: Kelvin Walters, (T-R) Charged: Henry Clement, (B-L) Freed: Rodrick Thomas, (B-R) Freed: Devon Allen)
A former member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who is accused of wilfully absenting himself from the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where he was to testify against two men charged with the execution-style killing of a taxi driver in January 2019, was on Tuesday charged.
26-year-old Henry Clement, who now works as a taxi driver, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
The charge against Clement stated that between July 15, 2020, and October 21, 2020, at Georgetown, he wilfully obstructed the course of justice by absenting himself from court when being warned to give evidence in the case of the Police vs Devon Allen aka ‘ Bighead’, and Rodrick Thomas aka “Roger” for the offence of murder committed on Kelvin Walters.
Clement pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him. Clement, a father of four, was released on $70,000 bail with the condition that he reports to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, every Monday until the completion of his trial.
He was also ordered to stay 50 feet away from the witnesses in the matter. He was instructed to make his next court appearance on July 18.
Facts presented by the court prosecutor stated Clement was a member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) stationed at Brickdam and attached to the Impact Base.
During his tenure in the force, Clement between July 15, 2020, and October 21, 2020, was warned on several occasions to attend the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts to give evidence in the case of the Police vs Devon Allen and Rodrick Thomas for the offense of murder committed on Kevin Walters.
However, he willfully absented himself from court. Further investigation was carried out and Clement was arrested. The prosecutor told the court that due to Clement’s failure to attend court to testify, the case against Thomas and Allen was dismissed.
In October of 2020, Rodrick Thomas, 29, of William Street, Kitty, and Devon Allen 32, of Middle Road, La Penitence walked out of the Georgetown Magistrate free men after the murder charge against them was discharged by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.
This was due to insufficient evidence.
According to reports, on the day in question, Walters was shot dead execution-style around 20:00 hrs, at Eccles, East Bank Demerara, while his horrified girlfriend and five-year-old daughter sat in his car. The 35-year-old was shot in the face and died at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
It was reported that Thomas and Allen trailed Walters on a CG motorcycle in the vicinity of the Two Brothers Gas Station near Eccles and shot him. Walters then rammed into the gunmen’s bike causing both of them to receive injuries to their legs. The injured men then escaped.
