It has been more than two decades since 19-year-old Yohance Douglas was senselessly murdered in the streets of Georgetown, and yet, for his family and friends, the pain of his untimely death remains raw. Despite calls for justice, through the holding of an inquiry, and the overwhelming grief of those who loved him, justice has yet to be served. Yohance’s case, is one of the hundreds, that stands as a grim reminder of the unheeded cries for accountability in Guyana.
Yohance Douglas was a young man with dreams, aspirations, and a bright future ahead of him. He was a second-year University of Guyana architecture student who loved basketball and was referred by his peers as smart, friendly and caring. On the afternoon of Saturday, 1st March 2003 his life was cut short in an act of senseless violence.
Yohance, along with friends, O’Neil King, Kwesi Heywood and Ronson Gray had just left a basketball practice and were driving along Sheriff St, Georgetown in a White Toyota Sprinter, PHH 8115.
They were stopped at the corner of Sheriff and Bonasika Streets, Georgetown by two men in a Green CRV, purportedly policemen, though at the time with no identification, who instructed them to exit their car.
They were met with a hail of bullets. When the smoke was cleared, Yohance was critical and Gray, the driver and also a student of University of Guyana, was shot in the jaw.
Douglas was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital by the police, who attempted to criminalise him by reportedly planting a wig on his person and informing the hospital staff that he was injured in a shootout during a robbery attempt. He succumbed at the hospital from spinal injuries and blunt trauma.
Douglas’ murder was not just an isolated incident of violence; it was a chilling reflection of a national reign of terror, the extrajudicial killings spree during 2002-2006, the phantom squads that roamed the streets in cahoots with government, the erosion of public safety in and presence of narco economy under President Bharrat Jagdeo, who had been in office since 1999.
The Jagdeo administration was already facing criticism for its handling of crime, and incidents like Yohance’s murder further fueled public frustration. The People’s Progressive Party /Civic (PPP/C) government, under Jagdeo’s leadership, was accused of failing to implement effective crime-fighting policies, and the streets of Georgetown had become increasingly dangerous. Yet, despite the mounting concerns, no concrete steps were taken to address the rising tide of violence.
In April 2003 policemen Mahendra Baijnauth and Gerald Alonzo were charged with attempted murder and murder. Charge was later dropped against Baijnauth and Alonzo’s was reduced to manslaughter. In 2005 a jury found Alonzo guilty of manslaughter. He was sentenced to six years but served only four years in jail before being freed on appeal. Lance Corporal Baijnauth was also charged with the attempted murder of Ronson Gray.
However, the charges and conviction failed to bring closure because they have not answered salient questions such as: what lead up to and occasioned the incident, why would the state turn on innocent citizens, the state’s disregard for common laws principles such as one is innocent until proven guilty and having one’s day in court.
As Yohance’s family, friends and other Guyanese continue to mourn his loss, they are reminded daily that rule of law and justice are not a given in Guyana. Many questions surrounding his murder remain unanswered. Yohance may have been a victim of a violent and senseless crime, but he is also a symbol of a society that has grown increasingly lawless under Jagdeo’s leadership.
In remembrance of Yohance Douglas, people continue to hold out hope that, someday, the inquiry will be held, and the lawlessness and injustices that still plague the country will dissipate.