Ukrainians to be charged following attack on miner
The two Ukrainian security guards who allegedly assaulted a miner at Quartzstone, Cuyuni are expected to appear before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan today.
According to the police, the investigation of the alleged assault committed on two Guyanese miners of Shaun Hopkinson Mining and Logistics Company on July 28 and August 3 has been completed and legal assistance has been obtained that advised that the two foreigners be charged in front of Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court today.
Thirty-eight-year-old Vitaly Paraschuck is expected to be charged with threatening behaviour and assault causing actual bodily harm that was committed on Charles Clarke and 33-year-old Maksym Furtak is expected to be charged with threatening behaviour that was committed on Rudolph Deane.
Additionally, the two Ukraine nationals, along with Clarke, will be charged separately with contravention of the Private Security Services Act of 2009 for the failure to wear their prescribed uniforms.
The two men were arrested after police followed up on the incident, which was documented in two videos that were posted on social media by Rickford Burke, head of the New York-based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID), showing an employee of the Hopkinson Mining and Logistics Company communicating with one of the foreigners.
The Ukrainian, who spoke briefly in English in the video, was then seen laughing as the worker tried to continue his explanation of his company’s claims to the land. The video ended abruptly and the second video showed the confrontation at a later point. The Ukrainian and the mining company’s worker were still in conversation, which then degenerated as the worker was hit by the Russian. After the worker retaliated, the Ukrainian punched the worker, which resulted in a scuffle that lasted a few seconds. The Ukrainian national then stepped back and drew a gun.
The incident was reported to the Bartica Police Station on August 5 and a team was sent two days after. The men were subsequently arrested in the Quartzstone area and were brought to the town and were placed on station bail to the tune of $50,000 as police sought legal advice. The two men are reportedly employed by West Bank Demerara Gold Inc. and are sworn supernumerary constables and authorised to carry firearms.
However, the police noted that the two men should have been dressed in the prescribed uniform that is approved by the police force’s administration for the company and not as they were seen in the footage.