GEORGETOWN, Guyana - A parent who had been pushing for an investigation into the allegations that a police sergeant at the Wismar Police Station sexually abused a group of boys said he was forced to drop the complaint because some of the other parents were upset that he made the case public.

In a recent interview, the parent told Stabroek News that he became the target of verbal abuse by parents of some of the boys. He said he then decided to drop the issue because he did not want to make enemies with the people whom he had to live around.

Additionally, he revealed that his son had refused to return to school and he was forced to send him abroad. Two other students who were involved also opted not to return to school and have instead enrolled at the Linden Technical Institute.

According to the man, the abuse started when he hired a lawyer who had advised him to take two other students along with his son.

"De parents didn't want fuh cooperate and dey use to be [threatening] me, so for peace sake I just let it ride," he said. He also said he did not believe the Department of Education Schools' Welfare Unit had taken the matter seriously. This newspaper understands that the police sergeant accused in the matter has since been transferred from the district.

The parent said the issue also had a negative psychological effect on his son, who asked him to drop it. However, he said every day members of the public enquire about the outcome of the matter.

(Stabroek News)