Two years later, Courtney Crum-Ewing’s family still cry out for Justice

“It is strange that the police force goes out and solve crimes where they find a man in a dump and they trace it until they find the people who did it. What happen to this case? Is it because it is political? Is it because of who the perpetrators are?” the father of the slain activist questioned.

Two years later, Courtney Crum-Ewing’s family still cry out for Justice

Two years after the brutal murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing at the height of the run up to the 2015 general elections, his father Eustace Harcourt is calling for justice to be served.

Crum-Ewing, who was a fierce critic of the former PPP government, was gunned down in the Diamond community as he used a loud hailer to encourage Diamond resident to vote the PPP out of office.

His murder took place just two months before the elections and the killing sent shock waves throughout the country and internationally.

On Friday, Mr. Harcourt stood on a picketing line opposite the Ministry of Legal of Affairs and expressed his disappointment in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the country’s judicial system.

“It is strange that the police force goes out and solve crimes where they find a man in a dump and they trace it until they find the people who did it. What happen to this case? Is it because it is political? Is it because of who the perpetrators are?” the father of the slain activist questioned.

Harcourt related that if Guyana is about law and order, then law and order should not only be applicable for the “ordinary poor man”. He said that crime cannot be dealt with holistically if the system only targets certain people.

“I would hope that they clean out the court system that they have because the man who acknowledge the gun as his own [in the murder] was allowed to walk away” an emotional Harcourt said.

Further, he expressed hope that the government, which Crum-Ewing was urging people to vote for at the time of his death, will put together a “proper investigating team” to “get down to the bottom of this murder”.

“All of the perpetrators are walking the road and we see them on a daily basis and it hurts. It hurts very much. Two years have passed and it’s like a dark cloud is still hanging over my head” Crum-Ewing’s father shared.

He said that when his family awakes in the morning, they keep wondering what will be the outcome, and that as long as he is alive, he will keep pursuing the matter.

“This is the second year and even if it reaches the 202nd year, I will be here standing because justice has to prevail” an optimistic Harcourt said.

A number of persons were arrested in the initial stages of the investigations but only Regan Rodrigues known as “Grey boy” was charged in connection with the murder. Although Rodrigues admitted that the gun used in the killing was his, he was subsequently released due to lack of evidence.

 

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