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Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace. (Photo: Zavique Morris/IWN file)
Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace. (Photo: Zavique Morris/IWN file)
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Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace says he will ask Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves to tell Parliament why charges have not been brought against a senior police officer who allegedly received stolen good.

A source tells I-Witness News that not only was stolen good reportedly recovered from the officer’s house, but the officer also allegedly called a police station and instructed them to release a suspect, who is one of the officer’s relatives.

“Now, that’s serious. It’s obstruction of justice,” the source told I-Witness News.

Eustace spoke about the situation at the New Democratic Party’s rally in Layou on Saturday, saying that a man had burglarised a number of homes in the Peruvian Vale area.

“He has not been charged, he has not been arrested, but some of the goods have been handed over back to the authorities, the police find them. They belong to a very serious police officer, who has not been charged,” he said.

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“I want the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in his capacity as Minister of National Security, to tell me why that senior police officer, receiving stolen goods, which the police get back, has not been charged.

“I am going to put that question to the Parliament next week. I want an answer, the New Democratic Party wants an answer as to why something like that could happen,” Eustace said.

“Other people who have done little or nothing have had to face the courts, pay fines, most of them go to jail and you have a senior [police officer] having received and handed to the police stolen goods,” he said.

“I am asking the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and National Security to deal with this matter. That police should face the court like anybody else. In this society like our, that type of crime and people at that level is unacceptable.

“It is unacceptable for anybody, far less for somebody to belong to the Police Force. And nothing has happened. The goods have been handed back and nothing has happened. She is not charged, the fella is not charged; none of them have been charged and I am saying to you tonight, I am asking Prime Minister Gonsalves, I’m asking the Commissioner of Police to explain why there is no charge,” Eustace said.

“I am not joking about this matter. It is part of the thing we are talking about when we say we have to deal harshly with the question of crime in our country. We can’t have one set of laws for one set of people. The law must apply to all the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and this is a very serious matter,” he said.

A former police officer, Jeffrey Garraway, a resident of Marriaqua, is among the persons whose home the senior police officer’s relative is said to have burglarised.

Garraway, who lives overseas, told The News newspaper last week that his home was burglarised in December.

He told the publication that the police had in custody a suspect who admitted to the crime but released him without charge.

Garraway told the newspaper that a high-ranking officer was involved in handling at least one item that was stolen from his house.

He said the senior police officer is related to the suspect and they returned a television to investigators during the investigation.

Commissioner of Police Michael Charles has described the allegation as “utter nonsense”.

7 replies on “Eustace to ask Parliament about senior cop who allegedly received stolen goods”

  1. How can they possibly expect a senior police to go before a court when the most senior law officer in the land Ralph E. Gonsalves did not stand before a court for the sexual crime charges brought against him.

    How can they possibly expect a senior police officer to go before a court when the court registrar stole over $300,000 and only got a smack on the wrist.

    Government workers are stealing up everything that isn’t screwed down, so why doesn’t this man have the same little perks?

    If we are to see fairplay in this matter, do the right thing, do what is usually done and give him promotion, give him the chiefs job.

    1. C. ben-David says:

      Peter, do you really believe that this sort of wicked behaviour will cease with a change in government?

      I know that you will say that it will change but will not be able to offer any backing for your belief except blind faith.

      If such behaviour has been par for the course under several Chief Ministers, Premiers, and Prime Ministers in SVG and throughout the English-speaking Caribbean since the end of Crown Colony rule, there is no reason to believe it will change here simply with a change in those who are elected to rule us.

      Peter, we are doomed.The only hope is some kind of right-wing libertarian revolution, something the Caribbean has never had and is unlikely to ever experience.

      1. David, there will be a new approach to crime in SVG, a method that has worked elsewhere.

        Unlike you I do believe because I know the plans and really believe it will make a huge difference.

        When you have thieves at the top you must expect thievery everywhere.

  2. C. ben-David says:

    If Eustace’s claims turn out to be true, would any Vincentian at home or abroad be surprised?

    If true, what does it say about us as a people?

    If true, what should we do to stop such wickedness?

    If true, is there any hope — with either party — of ensuring that all Vincentians be treated equally, as the law and the Constitution say.

    Are we well past the point of no return as a people, culture, and society?

  3. Agustus Carr says:

    Hon Eustace we must establish what were the circumstances under which these items got into the possession of the police officer. Judicial precedence dictates that Goods that has been returned to the victim by an accuse ceased to be stolen primarily because one of the points to prove theft is essentially absent i.e. The intention to permanently deprived, which has been diminished. Therefore no criminal charges can be laid at this time but the officer if he/she is above the rank of Inspector can be disciplined by the Police Service Commission. You pointed out the offense of handling stolen goods however, it must be established that the person knowing that the goods was stolen assist in the retention, removal or disposal of it. If below the rank of Inspector he or she can face a charge of discreditable conduct and neglect of duty primarily because that individual is duty bound to report such incidences. The fact that it is now in the public domain has establish that he/she has brought discredit onto the Police Force.

  4. Dr Ralph said that when the a government is on it’s last leg people have a tendency to thief and thief fast. So if it’s the only thing he got right is that. They are thiefing down the place. And what we are hearing is a tip of the iceberg. Many projects and programs are used as front to steal money.

    Do you really believe that it cost 300,000 a month to feed Cubans? I never believed that for one second, roads that cost more that twice what they should. Airport and all of them are used are vehicles to embezzle money. Many of them already have fresh brand new passports ready to run out when the government change, that’s the kind of thiefing they did. Vote them out and you will see how fast they flyout.

    1. Blane they just erected 4 temporary Bailey Bridges and claim at the cost of EC$10 million, and the bridges were free from St. Lucia. That was supposed to be a cheap job carried out by the Ecuadorian military. But the are supposed to have paid the bill, did they? Who paid their food and lodging?

      We know that concrete staunching had the be installed, but 10 million, are you kidding me.

      There is no way in this world that this operation could have cost 10 million, is this another lie? Or has someone been on a big earner?

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