| On March 1,NFL Jerseys Cheap, 2004, a man walked into the Brickdam Police Station compound and after snatching a gun from one of the ranks, opened fire, killing two policemen.Poonia LatchanaFive years later, the case against the shooter, Solomon Blackman, is still languishing in the magistrate’s court having gone through hearings by three Magistrates.This situation is causing severe anguish for Poonia Latchana,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, the mother of one of the victims, Lance Corporal Ramnarine Latchana.The Lance Corporal and Deputy Superintendent, Richard Griffith, were shot dead before the berserk man was eventually subdued and disarmed.The reason for the delay in the matter is stemming from the police not taking the accused to court on several occasions and the apparent reluctance of police witnesses to testify in the matter.The woman is now beginning to get the impression that if the police could be so callous about prosecuting someone for killing their colleagues, then who else could expect justice from them?“Every time the matter is called up, the police for some strange reason don’t carry Mr Solomon Blackman to court. Sometimes he go there and they leave him downstairs in the lock-ups,” Poonia Latchana told Kaieteur News.So frustrating is the situation, that Latchanna has lost track of the date for the next time the accused is due in court.According to the mother of the dead policeman, during the initial stages of the preliminary inquiry, the prosecution was represented by two attorneys from the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions.However,Wholesale Jerseys China, she cannot remember the last time they were present during the subsequent hearings.The last hearing occurred on Thursday,Cheap China Jerseys, and according to Latchana who has been attending every hearing since the Preliminary Inquiry commenced,NFL Jerseys China, the accused has not been brought to court.“Since December month last year, there was no lawyer from the DPP. I go all the occasions; I travel from Berbice to town and I never absent a date. I want justice in my matter, with due respect, I need justice. He was my only child and it grieving me,” the woman said, breaking into tears.She said that the magistrate who is now handling the case had on several occasions offered his condolences to her and encouraged her to keep faith in the system despite the indifference of the police.“He told me to bear up a little bit more and let me go and report this matter to the Chancellor,” Latchana stated.Since then, she has written several letters to the Chancellor of the Judiciary, the DPP, the Attorney General and to the media. Nothing has happened.The matter is now scheduled for July 16 and Latchana is hoping that the matter will proceed so that justice could prevail.According to a source, whenever the matter is called, the accused who is believed to be of unsound mind, sits in the lock-ups and refuses to go upstairs.“He says that the magistrate knows what he has to do,” the source said.It is not clear if Solomon Blackman is being represented by an attorney of his choice.“I never see no lawyer come when is he matter,” another source said.Latchana said that she has approached the office of the Commissioner of Police and has never been given a hearing.“I said to the corporal there, ‘I don’t have a secret,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, just relay the matter to the Commissioner of Police; if he’s busy no problem.’ Up to now I ain’t hear nothing; nobody call me. I’m a grieving mother, nobody know how I living,” the dead cop’s mother cried.Since the death of her son, Latchana has lost her house at Port Mourant and even her national insurance benefits as an ex member of the force also is problematic.“I want to know if one million dollars can do for a policeman’s life. Nobody can’t pay for a life. I am ashamed to go on the television and highlight this problem,” she added.Latchana, who had been living with her son in the Ruimveldt Police Station compound at the time of his death, said that the administration had promised to provide a house for the dead cop’s family, but so far she is still wondering when that will materialise.“I wrote a letter to the president since last year. I took it into the secretary myself. I cannot get a reply up to now,” Latchana told this newspaper.Police Commissioner Henry Greene had expressed some disgust at reports that police ranks are not going to court to give evidence.On several occasions the courts have had to issue arrest warrants for police ranks who fail to show up to give evidence. |
