Amid scathing criticism by the University of Guyana Students’ Society (UGSS), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) admitted that its military police trespassed on private property to arrest a deserter. 

“The GDF wishes to state that our investigations revealed that ranks of our military police department, who have the authority to arrest persons who have deserted, exceeded the extent of their powers in that they entered unto private property where they have no jurisdiction,” the defence force said in a statement. 

The GDF stopped short of giving an unqualified apology by only saying that it “deeply regrets” that incident and assured the public that it would continue to ensure that soldiers do not violate the law. 

The defence force said it had launched a probe into media reports that ranks had attempted to arrest a student in UG’s classroom. 

The UGSS had alleged that on February 12, three military personnel who bore no form of identification had entered the George Walcott Lecture Theatre while a Sociology lecture had been in progress. 

“The men then proceeded to disrupt the class and announce that they were there to arrest a student of the class identified as Mr Rodney; as expected panic ensued and students, confused and frightened, either fled the Lecture Theatre or retreated to the extreme corners of the room,” said UGSS President Ganesh Mahipaul. However, they failed to arrest Mr. Rodney who was later taken home by his father. 

Mahipaul had also reported that on February 13, seven men, two in GDF uniform, had attempted to enter the George Walcott Lecture Theatre during an Economics lecture. 

The UGSS President also recalled confronting the seven men and advising them that regardless of the situation, efforts should have been made to contact the Administration or even the Campus Security before attempting their endeavour. 

In demanding an apology then, Mahipaul had said that “the students were visibly shaken by the ordeal.” 

The UGSS President had called for a public apology and an investigation by GDF Chief-f-Staff, Commodore Gary Best and Commander-in-Chief, President Donald Ramotar.