Death of man in police custody: 5 cops slapped with murder charge, remanded

Five serving members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) were on Friday remanded to prison after being charged with the murder of Gavin Kennard Douglas, who died at the West Demerara Regional Hospital (WDRH) after allegedly being beaten while in police custody.

The accused, Sergeant Aarif Haniff, Corporal Bevis Lyle, Constables Wencill Marshall, Tiansay Thomas and Joel Newsum, appeared before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. The five were formally charged for the death of Douglas at Vreed-en-Hoop on October 31, 2026.
Following their appearance, they were remanded to prison and the case will continue on November 17 at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court. All five were represented by attorneys.
Douglas, 32, a labourer, of Crane Housing Scheme, West Coast Demerara (WCD), had been taken into custody at the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station on October 31 following his arrest in connection with an alleged armed robbery at New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, on October 28.
Police had reported that he became aggressive while officers were placing him in the station’s lock-ups and had to be restrained before being placed in a cell.
Less than an hour later, at about 12:45h, he was reportedly found frothing at the mouth. He was taken to the WDRH, where he died while receiving treatment.
Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, who conducted the post-mortem examination (PME) on November 2, concluded that Douglas died from a brain haemorrhage caused by blunt trauma. Two taser studs were also recovered from his body and lodged as exhibits. The circumstances prompted an investigation by the GPF’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), which initially arrested and questioned six ranks as part of its probe into the death.
Following the incident, Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond called for accountability over Douglas’s death, stressing the State’s responsibility to protect persons in police custody and assuring that appropriate action would be taken if wrongdoing was established.

Source: Guyana Times