Twelve police officers have been arrested in connection with the alleged abuse of 22-year-old Ralph Lewis of Sangre Grande. The officers, who were arrested yesterday, will be placed on identification parades today at the Sangre Grande Police Station. When contacted yesterday, Lewis confirmed that he was called in by investigating officers to identify the officers who allegedly abused and burnt him while in custody on February 24.
Lewis, of Boys Town, Coronation Road, Sangre Grande, said he went into the district station after he learnt he was wanted in connection with house breaking and larceny. It was not until the next day, having been forced to stay at the station, that he was badly beaten and burnt. Lewis sustained burns to the genital area and his buttocks after he was doused with hot water, allegedly by a woman police officer while at the police station.
He also claimed that subsequent to the incident he was offered monetary bribes as much as $150,000, to drop all proceedings against the officers. Lewis’s incident was initially highlighted on the Crime Watch programme with host Ian Alleyne, on March 2, one week after the alleged incident took place. Once the identification parades are completed, investigators are expected to approach Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, for advice on possible charges.
Police sources said one of the officers, an acting Inspector, was detained by detectives of the Professional Standards Bureau at his Sangre Grande home yesterday morning. Before the team of investigators could visit the homes of the others, a corporal and a constable, the men surrendered themselves at the Sangre Grande Police Station—where the incident occurred. Three officers who were present in the interrogation room when the incident of police brutality allegedly occurred, were taken to police stations in Port-of-Spain where they remained detained up to late yesterday.