Jagdeo says police have different ballistics info

President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said that an independent forensic pathologist will arrive here soon to conduct an investigation into the slaughter of eight miners at a remote diamond mining camp in the country’s hinterland.

Jagdeo also said that the police have contradicted a story carried in yesterday’s Stabroek News where it was stated that the spent shells found at the Lindo Creek mining camp did not match any retrieved at the scenes of crimes thought to have been committed by Rondell Rawlins and his gang. Stabroek News was told on Tuesday that analysis conducted earlier in the day showed no match of the shells. However, it was stated yesterday that a further check late Tuesday showed that some of the shells matched those used at the slaughter in Bartica. Stabroek News had given the force an opportunity on Tuesday to respond to reports that there had been no match but the force declined. Reports that there was no ballistics match were carried by several media houses yesterday. Official police ballistics reports have been greeted with increasing public skepticism in recent months.

Jagdeo told a press conference yesterday at the Office of the President that after reading the story in yesterday’s Stabroek News he enquired from Police Commissioner Henry Greene about the ballistics findings and was told that it was at complete variance to what was reported in the press. Jagdeo however did not want to disclose what the findings are and he said it was not clear whether the police are willing to release the results at this stage. Police have frequently issued ballistics information immediately after the commission of major crimes.

Meanwhile, calling for an end to speculation, Jagdeo announced that the administration had requested from the United States through its embassy here assistance in the area of forensic pathology to examine the remains to determine the manner of their deaths and also how long they might have been killed. Government pathologist, Nehaul Singh had visited Lindo Creek on Sunday along with a team of police investigators during which time, a number of 7.62 spent shells were found along with documents. (See other story on page 8.)

Leonard Arokium, the owner of the dredge and camp at Lindo Creek has repeatedly accused the military of carrying out the killings of the eight men. The joint services have since denied the claims, saying that the allegations were unthinkable and unimaginable. “These people were brutally murdered and the entire country should be outraged,” the president said. He added that his administration plans to fully investigate the incident, while assuring that the findings would be made public. “I am urging all of us not to speculate…we have a syndrome in Guyana that as soon as something happens everyone seems to know,” the head of state remarked, asserting that citizens should allow the independent inquiry to go on. Arokium had said that on Saturday night he was visited by several senior government officials who were adamant that the attack had been mounted by Fineman’s gang.

On the issue of a commission of inquiry (CI), one of many recommendations made by the Alliance For Change to investigate the matter, Jagdeo said he has seen a letter written by the party’s leader, Raphael Trotman on the matter and the two of them have since had a talk. He said while he had not decided whether they would go the route of a CI, if one is to be done it would have to include the other recent massacres to determine whether there was any political involvement. “I have not decided whether a Commission of Inquiry is the best vehicle, but we think that external expertise at this time is the best route to go,” Jagdeo asserted.
In a letter to Jagdeo which was released to the media on Monday Trotman called for the administration to immediately appoint an independent commission of inquiry with an overseas forensic pathologist to probe the slaying of the eight miners. In the letter the AFC leader said from the details, anecdotal information received from persons resident in the Berbice River area where the miners were killed and elsewhere, many questions have been raised as to the identity of those responsible for this atrocity. “Such an accusation is most unwarranted at this time, and if not addressed at the highest level, could have dire consequences and implications for the rule of law…” the AFC said in its letter to the head of state.

The party noted that coming in the aftermath of the most recent massacres at Lusignan and Bartica, coupled with the need to validate and give due recognition to the role and dedication of the joint services and more particularly, the Guyana Defence Force during these testing times, a CI was necessary. The AFC further implored the president to take the request seriously, and in so doing consult the parliamentary opposition parties on his decision to identify and name commissioners to the commission. Asked about the findings of the police investigations so far, Jagdeo said from the internal analyses being done the results differ from public speculation. “I have seen the internal analyses which suggest a theory (of) what took place,” Jagdeo noted. The security forces had been severely criticized for their initial bungling of the Christmas Falls operation where they encountered a group of gunmen. One high-ranking military official had told this newspaper that the army was not involved in the June 6, operation at Christmas Falls.

Asked about this yesterday, Jagdeo said while a joint services team had been set up to specifically hunt down Rawlins and his gang there still exist different operational groups within the security forces which would undertake independent operations. The military official said it was inconceivable that a major operation in dense jungle was launched and the country’s premier law enforcement arm was not involved.

Jagdeo also mentioned that following the escape of the gunmen from Christmas Falls, the Guyana Forestry Commission had issued an advisory for all miners and loggers to clear the area. “We have to ask the question whether this group of eight miners was not told and why or whether they were told and why they did not leave,” the president said.

Tortured

Senior joint services officials have admitted that there were a number of outstanding questions to be answered. Stabroek News had been told that lawmen who visited the Lindo Creek camp site found evidence of some of the miners being tortured. This newspaper has been informed that one of the skulls found at the location had an impression suggesting that the person was beaten in the head. According to information reaching Stabroek News, on arrival at the camp all the lawmen found were burnt bones. Reports are that the camp site has been sealed off to facilitate the work of the US forensic expert.