-part of weapon found
Members of the Joint Services scouring the Upper Berbice jungle for Rondell `Fineman’ Rawlins and several other gunmen yesterday stumbled on part of a firearm abandoned by the gang, but there has been no further sighting of the men and the key concern is whether they could break out of the cordon.
A senior police officer last evening confirmed that the weapon part was discovered in the Christmas Falls, Upper Berbice River area, during an intensive search for the gunmen who security forces believe are still trapped in the bushes.
Since Saturday the Joint Services had been maintaining that they had covered a large area where the gunmen are currently ensconced, closing off all exit routes, and have deployed helicopters to conduct surveillance.
How-ever, so far there has been no success and observers believe that the gunmen might have skipped the security forces’ cordon. Contacted for an update on the operations yesterday, the senior officer said that there had been no new development, but he insisted that the gunmen – around six of them including Rawlins – were still trapped in the jungle.
Stabroek News was told that the gunmen had managed to escape on Friday with only two of their weapons and some of them were in their undergarments. The security official said that in such a state, with at least one or two of them hurt from gunshots it would be difficult for the gunmen to get away. “If we don’t get them the wildlife” will get them, the officer declared.
Rawlins and his men have demonstrated their ability to survive in the jungle. They had come close to being captured many times, but managed on every occasion to skip the police cordon and escape. Meanwhile, with regards Rawlins’ diary which was left abandoned during the raid on the Christmas Falls base, Stabroek News was told that investigators have begun examining its contents and efforts are being made to verify the users of some of the telephone numbers that showed up in the diary. Security experts here say that the diary could be a vital tool and might be able to put investigators in touch with persons with whom Rawlins communicated.
Responding to intelligence reports that Rawlins and his troops were hiding out at Christmas Falls some 300 miles up the Berbice River, members of the Joint Services descended on the forested area on Friday. Once there they came under fire from around seven men, one of whom – Otis ‘Mud-Up’ Fifee was shot and killed.
The other six men, including Rawlins however managed to escape leaving behind a cache of arms and ammunition, some of which has been confirmed by police as having been stolen from the Bartica Police station the night that community came under siege by gunmen. Weapons belonging to Bartica miner Chunilall Baboolall whose business place was attacked and robbed during that incident were also recovered.
A top Joint Services official told this newspaper on Sunday that they were certain that `Fineman’ and several of his senior lieutenants were among those who escaped.
In addition to recovering the weapons, the lawmen unearthed Rawlins’ diary, which they said provided evidence of the fugitive’s planning and executing of the slaughters at Lusignan and Bartica, taking vengeance for the death of his sister and a number of telephone numbers. The security forces had also discovered that the men were housed in a location with four buildings. They had foodstuff to last several weeks in a large kitchen, which also had a gas stove, generator and solar energy. In addition, there were six portable tents, four hammocks, three mattresses, a mini-stereo system, a DVD player, a cell phone, a hand-held radio set, items of clothing, medical supplies and a Bible, which were all abandoned as the gang fled.
WELL DONE GPF, GDF, I KNOW THAT THESE MEN WOULD ESCAPEC, WITH THE TWO BELL HELICOPTERS AND ALL THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND STILL THESE MEN WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE. HOW COME THEY WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE WHEN ALL EXITS WERE SEALED AND CORDONED OFF? CRIMINALS ARE ALWAYS ONE STEP AHEAD, THIS IS INCOMPETENCE BY THE JOINT SERVICES.
all the phone # who the bastard was calling or received calls from, can be implicated as aiding and abetting, its time for them to fess up.
I agree they should go to jail. Also when Roger Khan start calling name i hope we also send these people to jail for aiding and abetting too. Crime is Crime. I want them all in jail…everyone who committed crimes against Guyana.
I am so happy there is no trace of fineman, because thoes who are hunting him down are just like him.
I can’t believe you said that. Do you realised that fineman has admit to the killing those children on the east coast.
Won’t you be so happy as well if he were to rend the viscera of your loved ones and mine?
Wouldn’t it be the ideal time while we are mopping up the gore and bagging the entrails that he should be missing?
Yes, I so agree with you, revered sage.
Armed forces, make sure you bring these men out dead.
Only in the movies ALL the bad guys are killed off after the final car chase and shootout!!!! Leaving a huge anti climax that proves absolutely NOTHING. Guyana/Guyanese deserve better.
These supposedly ‘bad guys’ need to be caught and properly interrogated in order to get the big picture and subsequently ‘net the bigger fish’.. Trust me they are there swimming around.
When these things are done and prove otherwise then I may begin to accept that these sureal happenings were not part of a convoluted policy political and personal greed along with a touch of ……….. genocide and a few other machinations which I try not to think of and I’d rather not mention. Until then I like many ——wait ………….wait
if you are so smart why do you want them dead? dont you want them to tell us who supported them? or how and why this thing started?
The fineman theory is as legendary as a well crafted fairytale.
Why Dead??? I’m sure if Fineman is caught alive he could never escape the gallows (unless the police are really dummies and cannot lead a proper case against him)…
Guyanese need to hear DETAILS….a court case might bring out some names…cause it is clear Fineman’s financing doesn’t come from robberies. If he was in Linden and Kwakwani for such a long period…we would have heard of at least one big robbery in these areas. It is clear that this platoon is funded and armed by external sources….We need to bring down his financers too…Fineman should be brought out alive!
Guyanese need to stop thinking that shoot-to-kill solves everything.
correct!!
Do you think Fineman will surrender???? These guys are prepared for death…its like a terrorist they prefer death than jail.
Why do you think people like them always have a bible? Check every find that is reportedly that of killing gunmen…a bible is always among other items found.
They no death is inevitable put have some foolish purpose of mission before that death.
Do you think these guys could run out of money…they nah buying fancy cars and big houses (or maybe they are) but they rob alot of people and get millions of dollars…I am sure they have regular people in Guyana who keep their monies.
People keep saying that these guys tried to destablize the government….if this was so they would have haad more political attacks (attacks on officials).
The only one of this nature was Sawh and I am extremely positive this was not a political killing or was it done by Fineman’s group.
I hope they catch him, but he nah gwan talk…so if the only way to catch him is kill him then that should be done…if they can find a way to catch him without killing then they should try but I doubt it.
I ALSO AGREE WITH THE ABOVE. GUYANA WILL NEVER GET AHEAD UNLESS THEY GET RID OT THE STUPID MENTALITY. THEY LIVE FOR TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW. I KNOW IT IS HARD THERE, BUT THIS GENERATION NEEDS TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE NOW FOR THE FUTURE OF THEIR CHILDREN…
There was never fineman in the Christmas falls saga.
It’s all an illusion by this regime! Cunningly stirring up the diversion from the Roger Khan singing out in NY court.
This regime is shameless, never ending dictatorial tactics!!!
72hrs and counting……Search is being conducted by air, sea and land, however still no sign of these criminals. Makes me wonder if the information given to the press by the security force was true. “Mud up” was probably the only one there and the security force probably assumed others were there too. Hmmm……I am beginning to agree with your BOEING777.
Having seen all your irrefrangible evidence regarding this Christmas Falls saga, Boeing777, and having realized that this smokescreen is a Machiavellian simulation of the PPP, I concur unreservedly.
I mean who wouldn;t want to agree with you, besotted with vibrantly valid evidence?
Oh you fountain of unadulterated truth, we acquiesce in your grandeur of truism and veracity.
why must the police give you info, when there is an investigation going on and at the same time there are individuals in contact with fineman.
how does your country operate when an investigation is ongoing, the country you live in.
my mind speaks.
1 are these ak 47 part of the missing lot?
2why is it that the police/gdf are never able to complete a mission effectively. Every single time they go on a raid bandits escape.Is every mission compromised? Search within your ranks for criminal elements.They are the ones who support the criminal enterprise.
3 beware of smoke artists and illusionists. All criminals should be brought to justice!!Let those who take lives of children wantonly face the justice of the innocent blood that they shed thru senseless massacres.
4 Every single telephone number on F man diary must be investigated and guilty abettors made to dance the song they help orchestrate.
I’m guessing you were there to know that Fineman wasn’t there
And i guess you were there to believe he was there.
If the armed forces say they on the tail of the gun men, why they aint get the tracker dogs and trace these people down? If the armed forces cannot cut off these people they will strike again to get back their suppy. They saying that the men will not make it in the jungle for long . Like they forget that two little girls make in the jungle for a number of days . Don’t bank on that, find these people an let guyana rejoice. I also will call on people to be alert since these men are on the run an will strike like an cobra so people don’t let down your guard . Also the police force and security service should stay alert.
Since the buxton fiasco I was saying, why aren’t they using tracker dogs, since these guys are always on foot. Readers they have been on foot for 6 years now and not once have we imply the use of tracker dogs. Then again if the bandits move to the back of bush-lot…….. the Joints Service gon can’t carry de dogs through dey because dem boy seh dem got a bush lot gang that does kill dogs. So de bandits gon still get away….lololol