Police Force defends reward offer in Berbice teen killings probe

The Guyana Police Force today defended its decision to offer a $3 million reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects in the murder of Berbice teens, Isiah and Joel Henry and Haresh Singh.

During a press briefing yesterday, the Attorney for the Henry Family, Nigel Hughes said the Police Force’s offer of a reward almost nine weeks after the gruesome murders, is an admission of failure in the probe.

But in a statement this afternoon, the Police Force described the statements by the Attorney on behalf of the family as irresponsible.

According to the Police, the offering of the reward should not be seen as an admission of failure, but it is rather a further effort by the Police to solve the crime.

The Police Force said while it is unsure of the agenda of the Attorney, his statements are neither in the best interest of the current investigations nor the consolation of the bereaved family since the statements could undermine public confidence in the Police Force and its probe of the three murders.

While not offering any detail, the statement from the Police Force said it received significant assistance from the Regional Security Systems team of investigators that believe the Police Force has the competence to complete the probe.

The Guyana Police Force has not held a press conference on the murders in more than a month and repeated questions by the media on the probe have been ignored.

Attorney Nigel Hughes in response to the statement from the Police Force said he is impressed with the alacrity with which the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has found it possible to respond to statements made during the press conference held by the Henry family yesterday.

He said if the same diligence, commitment, and speed had been applied to the investigation of the murders of the young Henry boys, the investigations might have been at a different place today.