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Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"GI3 personnel activated immediately and they were quick to find those persons concerned. Police also went and located the owner of the horse and that person has likewise made a report to the police and based on that, the police is prepared to proceed with charges against those persons. I can say to you that we are looking at the possibility of charges of cruelty to animals and we will seek further advice from the DPP to see if there is any additional charge that we can levy against those individuals. Again, we need to send a strong signal. We're seeing that this type of offense is becoming more prevalent where animals are being treated inhumanely and in such a cruel way. My thing is that if these young men could have done this to the horse, I could just imagine what they'd do to a human being. The horse obviously was helpless, was tied and helpless and despite that you saw where they constantly charged at the horse with that machete, inflicting chop wounds to the horse, I guess just for the love of it. It is something that can't be countenanced and as a society I was happy that people were able to share it with me. I was not too happy to see it being shared on social media the way it did because then it's like we're promoting this type of activity but those who shared it on social media, I think they did so with good intentions but yes it still send a wrong signal."

Courtney Menzies
"If they are convicted, what's the maximum sentence that they can serve?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Unfortunately it's a misdemeanor so it doesn't carry a stiff penalty and these are things we have to look at so that we can reform the law and the laws we have in place for these kinds of acts, they're antiquated, they were put in place post-independence. Times have changed and so there's a need to look at those laws to see how we can strengthen them so that it can serve more as a deterrent against those who may wish to continue carry on these types of activities."

Reporter
"My understanding is that the fine is somewhere around $100, is that your understanding?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Yes, somewhere around there, yes."

The Compol later told us that those charges have been expanded to include cattle theft.

But while the ComPol is taking this case seriously, there have been complaints of other officers who receive similar calls but don't act on them. The media asked Williams about this.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"The thing is that we try to do as best as we can. There are instances where we would require the support of that owners of the animal and sometimes we don't get that support. Again, while the penalty for the offense itself which is cruelty to animals may carry a small fine, we're also looking at abetment to commit cruelty to animals and the abetment is going to take it to a different level, it's going to take the penalty more severe. And so we're hoping that we'll be able to go that route and that will send a stronger signal to those young men as well as others who may have in mind to commit such acts."

"I was extremely happy to see that BAHA came in, having seen the video, they came in and did their part as well to provide treatment to the horse because again I saw footages on social media where it depicts that the horse was already being eaten by these dead flies and so BAHA came in and provided some treatment and I hope that they continue the treatment until the horse can make a full recovery."