GEORGETOWN, Guyana, March14 2015 – The Roman Catholic Church here has called on the police to act swiftly in detaining those responsible for the murder of anti-government activist, Courtney Crum-Ewing, who was gunned down on Tuesday night.
“Many persons, in the absence of evidence, are already drawing political inferences. At this time, to draw specific conclusions as to where culpability rests, I call on the Guyana Police Force to act swiftly in its investigations to find and bring these killers before our courts,” Roman Catholic Bishop, Francis Alleyne, said in a statement.
The attorney for Crum-Ewing’s family, Nigel Hughes, Friday posted on his Facebook page that the 40-year-old man had been shot five times with three shots to the head.
Hughes said that gun powder residue was found on the collar at the back of the shirt of his former client.
He said that Crum-Ewing was shot at point blank range from behind his neck and that another bullet had exited from under his arm pit above his shoulder.
Crime Chief Leslie James was quoted in the media as saying that while every aspect of the investigation was being pursued, a review of footage captured by cameras located in the area where Crum-Ewing was shot has revealed nothing useful.
In his statement, Bishop Alleyne called on “political leaders of all parties to specifically condemn the barbaric killing of Mr. Crum-Ewing and to actively promote messages of peace on the campaign trail and create an environment of security and nationhood in which citizens can exercise their democratic and constitutional right, and indeed duty, to elect a government of their choice.”
Both the government and the coalition opposition grouping – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) – have condemned the murder, with the opposition urging supporters to remain calm.
Bishop Alleyne said that the murder of Crum-Ewing was “dangerously timed in a climate of electoral campaigning as we prepare for national elections on 11th May”.
