GPF says it’s reward money is no sign of failure

The Guyana Police Force is refuting claims that its offer of a monetary incentive for information on murders of the Henry cousins and Haresh Singh is an admission of the Force’s failure to solve the crimes.

The GPF in a statement on Wednesday defending its offer of a reward said making such an offer is “an internationally recognized and accepted method to assist criminal investigators”.

The Force’s statement came one day after the Henry families and their lawyer Nigel Hughes made such a pronouncement as they cited blunders and missing information in relation to the ongoing investigation.

The Force which has resorted to releasing statements on the investigations instead of regular press engagements said that Mr Hughes’s statements are not in the best interest of the current investigations as it believes these can “undermine” the public’s confidence in the police and the investigations.

In an invited comment, Hughes said he was impressed with the “alacrity” with the police found it possible to respond to the statements made as he said “Perhaps if the same diligence, commitment and  speed had been applied to the investigation of the murder of the young Henry Boys we all might have been in a different position”.

Hughes said too that it i shis personal hope “that the necessity for press conferences and press releases can be obviated,” by what he said is “a successful conclusion of the investigation leading to the prosecution and conviction of those responsible”.

The killers of the three teenagers are yet to be brought to justice almost two months after their brutal murders.

The Henry cousins were killed between September 5th and 6th 2020 and Haresh Singh was killed on 9th September, 2020 in West Coast Berbice.

The murders shocked the nation and led to protests along the mostly closely knitted west Coast Berbice area.

The protests led to block road ways, reported robberies and beatings and stroked ethinic tension which was largely exhibited on social media.

Hughes in a press conference on Tuesday highlighted the need for the facilitation of a team from Argentine Forensic Anthropology body with the aim of capturing evidence that could help to solve the crime.

The Police through engagement with the Caricom’s Regional Security System sent a number of items for tests to St Lucia.

Those items which include a cigarette butt did not link any one of the persons arrested to the Henry murders.