Corbin dares Police in cat and mouse game # 2

Corbin’s bodyguard arrested for murder, robbery under arms

“If there is evidence that I am in bed with criminals then they (police) should come and arrest me” - Corbin.

Some time around 2:00hrs yesterday Cyrus Boyce, personal security detail (bodyguard) for the leader of the main opposition, Robert Corbin, was arrested for murder and robbery under arms.Boyce was arrested at his Better Hope residence after some 30 heavily armed members of the Joint Services swooped down on the home, cordoned it off and ostensibly searched for arms and ammunition.

He was then taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters where he is assisting with investigations.No one in the police force could say for which murder or for which robbery Boyce was being held. Earlier in the day, a senior rank had said that after the arrest the rank should have told Boyce for which incidents he was being held.

Recently, the police were detaining people and photographing them with tags that either suggested murder or robbery under arms. None has even been charged but they were all held for at least 36 hours. The most recent were some farm hands working on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. They were photographed as people being held for murder.

They have since been released.Boyce’s arrest occurred one day after Corbin’s driver, Mark McKenzie, was arrested while driving a vehicle belonging to Corbin.He was arrested for using a loud hailer to announce the Cost-of-Living march that was scheduled for yesterday.

In a release to the media yesterday, Corbin noted that neither he nor his party viewed the two arrests as unrelated but rather it was a “clear indication of a campaign of harassment by the repressive PPP/C administration, designed to instill fear, and terrorise supporters of the PNCR and prevent the citizens of Guyana from exercising their constitutional right to protest.”

“Rather they are a clear indication of a campaign of harassment by the repressive PPP/C Administration, designed to instill fear, and terrorize supporters of the People’s National Congress Reform and prevent the citizens of Guyana from exercising their constitutional right to protest the crippling economic situation, brought on primarily by the mismanagement of the Jagdeo regime.”

The release also alluded to the reports of a second wave of arrests of scores of young men in the West Ruimveldt, East La Penitence and Albouystown areas. They were allegedly placed in a truck and taken to an unknown destination without any explanation given by the police for their arrests.

“The arrest of these young men is similar to the exercise conducted last week Wednesday prior to the Cost-of-Living march on May 8, when dozens of young men were also arrested and later released on Friday, May 9 without any charges being laid.”

The party stated that the developments would only further undermine confidence in the Guyana Police Force, deepen the instability in the society, and poison the future political development of the country.Speaking with media operatives yesterday, Corbin said that the acts were deliberate parts of the plot to intimidate the leadership of the PNCR.

“It is clear that these two incidents represent a deliberate plot to either provoke or harass the PNCR…the PNCR could never be intimidated.The PNCR and its supporters will not be terrorized by the Jagdeo dictatorship.”

According to the statement, instead of implementing repressive measures and trampling on the rights of the citizens, the Jagdeo regime would be better advised to introduce a comprehensive menu of measure, which could bring a measure of relief to the hard pressed citizens of Guyana, reeling from the consequences of the escalating cost of living induced by the 16% VAT and stagnant wages and salaries.

“Until then the PNCR will not be deterred from utilizing all available steps, under the laws and constitution, to bring to the attention of the Jagdeo Administration the serious plight of the Guyanese working class at this time.”

Regarding statements earlier in the day (yesterday) by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, wherein he had evidence to prove that Corbin was “in bed” with criminal elements, Corbin said that he (Luncheon) had no moral authority to speak on such matters.

He based his assertion on the fact that Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan who is currently engaged in a court battle in the United States had made public announcements that he was in collaboration with the Jagdeo Government in terms of killing criminals.

“They have no moral authority to talk about being in bed with criminals when they are in bed with the drug lords of the country, giving them the carte blanche (clean slate) to parade and kill people at will and this is not a secret…The court of New York has to have a jury in secret because of the fear of what this man (Khan) has been doing.”Corbin continued to say that if there was evidence that he was in bed with criminals then the police should arrest him.