Commissioner of Police Winston Felix has vowed that no one will be overlooked in the investigations into the death of self-confessed ‘death squad’ informant, George Bacchus.
Bacchus was shot dead in his sleep early yesterday morning at his Princes Street home, sparking a nationwide investigation by the Guyana Police Force.
Addressing the media at a press conference at Police Headquarters Eve Leary, yesterday, Felix said that the police would follow every lead.
“Any number of persons could be under suspicion because of who he (Bacchus) was,” Felix said at his first press conference since becoming Police Commissioner.
The Commissioner was responding to a question on whether the investigations would take into account allegations that Bacchus was approached with a bribery offer.
According to the Commissioner, the probe could include the questioning of the persons to whom the bribery offer is linked.
“If your name turns up, we will be coming for you in due time. No one will be spared in this investigation,” Felix told the media.
Bacchus had alleged that he was approached a few weeks ago by persons linked to the ruling party with an offer of $10M to retract his statement that Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj was linked to a ‘death squad’.
He had also claimed that the main opposition party, the People’s National Congress Reform, offered him protection.
The probe could also include Bacchus’s relatives and neighbours, some of whom are being questioned by the police.
The police have set up a high level team of investigators headed by a senior superintendent of police to probe the George Bacchus murder.
Already the police have detained several persons for questioning.
Meanwhile, Felix said that Bacchus never requested police protection, even though he was the main witness in the high profile murder case involving the death of his brother.
“The Commissioner’s office was opened to him but he never came to the police. We didn’t have to go to him… we know how to deal with Bacchus…we are not running to him. We ran to him in the past and we were hurt,” Felix said, without elaborating.
“What I know him as will be inappropriate to mention publicly. I am a police officer and I will conduct myself properly, more particularly because the gentleman is deceased,” Felix added.
He added that the television station is not the place to make allegations, referring to the allegations Bacchus made.
According to Felix, the police force has been examining the feasibility of establishing a witness protection programme.
However, noting the failure of the programme in another Caribbean island, he reasoned that that might not be appropriate for Guyana.
“…Particularly given the smallness of our society…it is a very sensitive issue,” the Police Commissioner explained.
Felix told the media that he has already read affidavits and has looked at a tape made by Bacchus before he died.
He did not say, however, what action will be taken, having been privy to those pieces of information, which were reportedly provided by the People’s National Congress Reform.