Over 40 calls were made in August from the cellular phone that Dax Arokium had in his possession when he and seven others were slaughtered at the Lindo Creek mining camp, records seen by this newspaper reveal.
The majority of calls were made to cellular phones and conversations lasted as long as eight minutes. Attorney at law Nigel Hughes said the phone is registered in Leonard Arokium’s name, but it was in possession of his son Dax at the camp where the burnt remains of the eight men were found.
Although Commissioner Henry Greene has maintained that the police force has not received enough information to verify claims that the phone is in use, Leonard Arokium has said the phone number was included in a detailed statement he gave to police on June 21 when he met with investigators the night after burnt remains were discovered at the camp. In a third letter to Greene sent yesterday, Arokium’s lawyer Hughes said a team of top ranking police officers took detailed statements from his client during which the telephone number was provided. Greene has said that not even the number was provided but Hughes said it was given in the statement taken on June 21, when Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Greene himself visited Arokium’s residence to express condolences on the tragedy.
The police force in a statement on Sunday accused Arokium of releasing information in a piecemeal manner through the attorney. It said his actions seemed designed to attract and maintain public sympathy and it called on him to “reduce his acts of grandstanding and present any other information he had which could aid investigations. Hughes said that communication through the attorney was not his client’s preference but the credibility of the force and the challenges it faces in protecting the lives of citizens made it understandable. Hughes stated, “It is precisely this lack of full confidence in the forensic and investigative capacity of the Guyana Police Force which led to his release of the information of the murder of the Lindo Creek eight to the press before going to [police].”
In a comment to this newspaper on Monday, Arokium took exception to the way police characterized him in its last statement. He said he could not understand why the force was referring to him directly and making accusations. He felt that since Hughes contacted the force according to protocol, it should have responded by the same token for any further information needed to aid its investigations. “…And leave me out,” he said.
Arokium did not, however, rule out meeting with Greene. “I would only see him through my counsel. I would not go to see him alone. I contacted him through my attorney and so everything has to be done with my attorney or with his knowledge,” he insisted.
Closure
Meanwhile, the incomplete investigation into what occurred at Lindo Creek has not helped the relatives of the miners to find closure as they are still unable to have the remains of the deceased scientifically identified. Hughes raised the point in his letter, saying the fact that his client has not been informed of the results of the DNA identification procedure is a continued source of considerable pain for all the relatives of the deceased.
Arokium said he wants the police to tell the families of his miners what is going on with the case more than two months after DNA samples were taken from them to verify the remains. He said the families of the deceased are still waiting to hear from the police. “What about those reports? Is it a foregone conclusion? Because nothing is happening!” he declared. “What about the reports? Shouldn’t they be saying something about that? It has been eight weeks or more now, the Jamaican people came and we are not hearing anything, let’s see who is grandstanding.”
Arokium also said it was still hard for him to face the men’s relatives. He said they are wondering what happened and they still could not find peace of mind since they had no remains to bury.
Well all i’m going to say is that more should be done by both mr. green and mr. arokium to bring a closure to this matter. all information should be revealed so that they can have a full investigation, the phone should be traced and whosoever is using that phone should be apprehended and questioned.
Mr.Arokium you just cant have it two ways…You cant want the police to left you out of this.Its your phone thats in use.Nice try though that your lawyer give the authorities the phone number.Try something else.You are at the centre of all this now and must tell police everything you know.At least you come to your senses and got a lawyer instead of going to Freddie Kissoon and the media.
I think your coment is very bias you need to poot yourself in mr Arokium’s place you are not in his shoes and I think he is doing the right thing cant you see what is going on in the police force in guyana this is not ABOUT POLITICS ITS ABOUT PEOPLES LIFE…..I think you should wake up and smell the coffee.
nice answer
It is in my opinion that you are somehow officially conected to the innerworking of the corruption going on in Guyana, I also think that you are proud of the wrongfulness and transgressions of the PPP, I wish you good luck, and remember,,,,whatever goes around, comes around.
simple, if they request the # give it to them, dont just dont say we already give it to them.
you want answer then cooperate.
You guys seemingly understand on a first grade level. What kind of Law Enforcement investigative body inquiring into mass killings goes about asking a witness for a phone number when a detailed statement was supplied with that information. It is this kind of backwardness that has Guyana receding or standing still. The lack of comprehension, or the ability to read and retain the context of what is read is really in short supply in Guyana. The witness gave a statement. The purpose of that statement is to supply investigators with information they need. What is the use of the statement if the witness still has to notify the Police of information they have already supplied in there. What level of ignorance is this?
i am not saying that withholding the number will help the cause of anyone but it seems that the GPF wants Arokium to help them do their investigations. what happen to the telephone companies cant they help.
after all the force has a special branch that is suppose to know the various methods of intellegence gathering
I wish it was that easy as you ‘ re saying Ksing ibut these days you can’t take any chances giving out information to the police since you are putting your life at risk. I fear for the safety of Mr Arokium.
The police want this case closed now that Rawlins is dead. Mr Arokium did not commit any crime he just wants a proper professional investigation done to root out the real killers of the men at that camp. The lawyer is the person the Police has to deal with and Mr Arokium is more than willing to meet with Police providing counsel is present sounds reasonable, there is genuine fear of some Police in that country,…this is the only way to deal with a politicized police organisation. More than 40 calls were made and no movement on the part of the Police to investigate, the only investigation is that of Mr Arokium this smacks of a coverup. The remains should be returned to the famalies for burial and to bring closure to this aspect of the ordeal…. the relatives should approach the Govt of Jamaica by any means available to have the report on the remains come to a close….maybe the report is already in Guyana …who knows.
I do not believe Arokium has anything to hide. His brother and son was murdered, along with the others. I believe in him, I believe what he thinks happen
with the men, 100%. The truth is yet to come out. Someone will eventually talk. This was not done by 1 or 2 men. So the chances are greater than somebody gun talk. Now we have a phone that was in use, were getting closer.
Well said BADLALL
I was able to get the phone and fax number of the Prime Minister of Jamaica from the Jamaican govt website. The numbers are 876 927 9941 (tel) 876 929 0005 (fax). Maybe the families will get some answers by contacting the Jamacians i am sure giving the present climate that they will be willing to help.
Mr Arokium is not required to give any information to the Police. It is the Police who have to investigate, something they are incapable of doing. They have attempted to pin all their unsolved murder cases on “fineman” even though many questions surround these “murders” by “fineman”…questions the force cannot answer….
well said badlall ,these ppp supporters are blind and lack of common sense
and good judgement , what happen to bacchus,waddell,lincoln lewis,mark
benschop, i say no more
Just because people here dont agree with Arokium’s action they are PPP supporters?Get a real life Torbo…….
What does PPP or PNC have to do with these statements.We are bloggers, and regardless of your opinium , others are entitled to their opinium. Please accept the statements, and deliver yours. For your information They have wrong doing on both sides.I may like one more than the other; but that’s my opinium. and I’m entitle to it
well i wonder what happenTO bernard dark vincent tekah walter rodney and company?
Why is it so difficult to get the required info from the phone company.Come on Mr.Commissioner, these were lives taken, and if you were to turn the tables around, you would have wanted the same,as Arokium is asking for. I have a lot of confidence in the Guyana Police Force, so please carry out a thorough investigation into this new lead,THE CELL.
Flash where have you been and what kind of confidence do you mean you have in the Guyana police force which one the old regime or the new regime you got to be joking i hope . Please don’t get in to any problem if you ever go to Guyana and have to depend on the police to get to your rescue in a hurry you might lose your confidence hahahaha
So u gat some confedance in de force, allright, go down dey, ley them a see ya with lagre money, they gan get dem fiends fo tek am from ya, BFI, nah 4get da, if ya live, ya gan be no good fa ya self. Go down my friend, go down and be careless.
Ruel Daniels I support your position.Guyana Is not your normal country.
You forgot to continue: “…like every other country.”
Well said badlall and ruel.That show the GPF is tryihg to cover up and close the case because fine is dead.
Fineman did it and he whispered same in the ears of a female. He is dead, thus the case is closed (that is the police version). Only in Guyana one has to go to the police with everything when a case is being investigated. They (the police) sit on their ‘haunches’ instructing you to go here and there with information. In such a serious matter they should be ‘pounding the pavement’ to get information. Mr. Arokium had a phone that he allegedly states was in the possession of one of the victims and is being used, then police who have access to all information should get such from the telephone company if it was not provided by Mr. Arokium. And if the allegations are untrue file charges against him. Mr Greene you have to do much better that what you are currently doing. For example, Fineman and his gang were involved in criminal activities for years. Cellphones were found and amazingly enough, the force was only able to determine that the phones were used to contact two individuals. Is there a coverup?
Maybe the police want this case covered up because the made a terrible mistake when the mistakenly mistook the innocent for the guilty by being trigger happy shoot first and then ask questions after too bad there is no one left to answer there questions so lets cover down this hughe mistake and hope it will not raise up its ugly head again .WHAT A N IMPOSSIABLE COVER SOME ONE IS HOPING FOR .