Informant in Henry Boys murder says ‘do not trust the police’; says his info was leaked; no reward paid

By Leroy Smith

The man who came forward to share vital information with the Guyana Police Force that led to the apprehension and charging of three men, for the murders of Joel and Isaiah Henry, is cautioning members of the public not to trust the police.

The young man, who has a family of his own, sat and spoke with BIG Smith News Watch on Friday in a one-hour exclusive video interview, where he detailed the steps which led to the arrest and subsequent charging of the three suspects, but which has now left him living in fear, broke, and being unable to provide for his family.

He told BIG Smith News Watch that in addition to him being snubbed by everyone within law enforcement and government that he approached for the Guyana Police Force-announced three million dollars reward, the police have also caused the information that he provided about the suspects in the matter, to be leaked right back to the relatives of the suspects, who have been threatening him.

“I just want to appeal to the people in this country…be careful; if you know any information about any criminal, if you know anything that anybody does, keep it to yourself, because your life is at risk. The police promising you that you will get security, etc., but when they get the information nobody does nothing for you; nobody wants to hear anything from you. So whoever know that you giving police information think about it twice; think about it..” the informant emphasised.

The man, whose identity will not be revealed for obvious reasons, noted that anything he did in relation to the information-sharing was for the relatives of the Henry Boys to have closure and justice. He said that at the time he volunteered the information to the police, he was not aware of a reward, but that was communicated to him by a senior police officer whom he claims, met and spoke with him “at the side of the road in a vehicle”.

According to the informant, it was after he realised that his identity and the information which he shared with the police was leaked to the relatives of the suspects, and he was forced to go into hiding – unable to work and care for his family – that the deliverance of the announced award became of interest to him.

“I just want the world to know that today, tomorrow, or anytime people kill me or shoot me down, I want them know that I did this here for the police, and they promised to do the matter in the right way which they did not. They let the information be released to everybody; they made people know that I did so [provided the information on these people]” the young man told this publication.

On November 3rd, 2020, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had announced that they were offering a $3 million reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person/s responsible for the murders of the Henrys and Haresh Singh.

He spoke of reaching out to several individuals in influential positions in Guyana about accessing his reward, and even letting them know that he has been unable to work or have a normal life since his identity and the information he shared were leaked. According to him, no one has been paying him any serious mind, and he has only been receiving promises.

The man said that while he is urging persons to strongly reconsider what information they share with the police, and in what manner that information is shared, they should also be mindful that many times people lose loved ones, and others are slaughtered, and relatives would like to have justice and closure, and that is one of the reasons he came forward with the information he had. “Think about the relatives of those who are killed, but also think about your safety” he cautioned.

“You, as someone who know, got to know what you doing. Don’t trust the police, because if they had fulfilled the promise whatever they told me, I would have said that they kept their promise. But nobody ain’t fulfilling their promise, and today I deh in it; no police never call me and ask me nothing; none never call and ask me ‘boy what you doing?’… if you got money, if you eat, how you living… nothing,” the frustrated informant reflected.

He told BIG Smith News Watch that in relation to the matter, he is aware that he provided the police with the information, so the matter most naturally becomes an interest of his also. But even with that, he said, he has to be calling the police to find out how the matter is going, and if they are getting the cooperation of the men.

“I got to go to hear that, and when I go, I have to spend like five hours and over to hear that ‘the matter in progress’ that is all. You have to spend passage to reach there, you have to sit and waste your time, you have to spend over five hours just to hear that, and you can’t say anything else, because is like somebody busy with an interview, somebody busy with a meeting, everybody just busy, everybody put you aside, your life ain’t matter anymore now, nobody ain’t care about you…nothing!”  the informant exclaimed in exasperation.

Several parts of the country, particularly Regions 6, 5, and 4, experienced days of unrest as a result of the murders of Joel and Isiah Henry. The police and army were forced to take the streets to ensure the situation did not further deteriorate, with wanton damage to property, and even more loss of lives as a direct spin-off from the killings and disorder.

The informant noted that he has been able to keep quiet about his role in bringing the suspects to justice. He said even his wife and siblings are unaware of the role he played in helping to solve the crime that had the potential to throw the entire country into a state of volatility.

In conclusion, the man told BIG Smith News Watch that he is concerned about his safety, and quite frankly, fearful for his life.

Today repeated efforts to solicit a comment from the Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie and later through the Corporate Communications Unit of the Guyana Police Force on this matter were futile.