Popular race car driver and businessman, Mark Vieira, has revealed that he was forced to file a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority, over the Police Force’s “biased” investigation into a reported incident that occurred in November between him, and another speedster Maurice Menezes.
In a statement, which was released through his Attorney Glen Hanoman, Mr. Vieira disclosed that Police investigators based their entire investigative file of the incident on the statements of Menezes, and never bothered to properly follow up on his side of the story.
He said he was arrested and photographed on the 21st December after the Police barged in at an event that was being hosted by his mother.
Vieira said the Police investigation was conducted and submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions without any investigation of his claims. He said even after he filed an assault complaint against the other racer over the incident which took place at the South Dakota Circuit, there was no action on the part of the Police.
The Office of the DPP confirmed to News Source that advice was sought by the Police on the assault matter and charges were recommended to be filed against Mark Vieira based on the submitted Police file.
The DPP recommended that Vieira face charges of malicious damage to property, abusive language, assault causing actual bodily harm, assault, and providing false information to law enforcement.
Reminding that he has been a flag bearer for Guyana for several years in the racing fraternity, and will not allow his good name to be damaged, Vieira said he filed a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority over the handling of the Police probe. He said that investigation is still ongoing, but he learnt through press reports that there were recommended charges against him over the incident.
While the DPP recommended charges against the popular race car driver based on the submitted Police file, the Guyana Police Force has never moved ahead with taking him to Court.
The Police Force has been silent on its reluctance to move ahead with the recommended charges.
However, Vieira said the mugshot taken of him at the Police station was leaked to the media by the Police and was plastered across social media, even without charges being filed and with the ongoing probe by the Police Complaints Authority.
“In an act of defiance of the investigation launched by the Police Complaints Authority, the police sought advice from the DPP, based on the biased “investigation” conducted. After my mug shot was taken it was immediately disseminated by the Guyana Police Force to Guyana Daily News and other social media platforms along with a well-orchestrated smear campaign to suggest that I was involved in a domestic incident”, he said.
The businessman leveled accusations at the “Team Mohamed” racing company over the confrontational incident that took place at the South Dakota circuit.
He said he intends to follow the course for Justice as outlined in the Laws of Guyana, adding that he has never resorted to violence (personal or authored) to solve problems.
Mr. Vieira said he will continue to await on the investigation being conducted by the Police Complaints Authority.
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