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Ninth man could be key to Lindo puzzle

A ninth man who had accompanied one of the slain Lindo Creek miners towards the camp in June could be key to solving the grisly jigsaw puzzle.

Camp owner Leonard Arokium told Stabroek News yesterday that he learnt about the man about three weeks after the slaying of the eight miners in June. He said he was told about the ninth man by a tractor driver in the area who had related that he had transported Arokium’s son Dax with the man to a certain point towards Lindo Creek after which the two had to dismount and make their way on foot.

It isn’t certain whether the ninth man did indeed make it to Lindo Creek with Dax. However, sources say it is possible that the ninth man is the person that police alleged was an eyewitness to the killings. If he is the ninth person then he is in a position to testify about what happened at the camp and may even be considered a suspect as he would have to explain how he survived the macabre massacre which was blamed on the now dead Rondell Rawlins and his gang but which has seen Arokium and others laying responsibility at the feet of the Joint Services. Even if he didn’t make it to the camp this person may still have useful information.

Arokium yesterday says he is anxiously awaiting the return of the DNA results on the remains found at Camp Lindo. Samples were taken from the remains by a team from Jamaica to be cross-referenced with samples taken from family members who presented themselves to Police HQ, Eve Leary for this purpose.
Arokium was puzzled at the delay in the return of the samples and the results. They should have been here weeks ago. It was surmised that the results could tell a lot more about the massacre e.g. if remains are found that do not belong to the eight men who were thought to have died at Camp Lindo. It could then mean that the remains may be those of the ninth person or someone else.

The camp owner was also keen on finding out which of the members of the camp sustained the sledgehammer skull wounds as it would indicate who resisted the attackers. The theory would be that Dax would most likely have been the victim and that up to this point the attackers were only interested in robbing the camp. After the miner was fatally struck in the head, a decision would have been triggered then or later to eliminate all of the camp members.

The remains should also confirm definitively if all of the eight persons who were believed killed were indeed killed. Arokium had told Stabroek News several weeks earlier that one of the camp members, Clifton Wong, an ex-member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had been heard at Kwakwani mentioning to one of his army `squaddies’ when a `wash down’ for diamonds was going to be done at Camp Lindo. It was thought that this remark could have led to the massacre.

Arokium yesterday challenged the GDF to ascertain who would have been in the same batch with Wong when he was in the army and to determine whether he had been in the Kwakwani area during the month of June.

“It is not hard for them to do that,” the man said yesterday. He said that Wong was not supposed to be in Kwakwani at the time. “People ask him what he was doing there and if I know he was there and he could not answer,” Arokium told Stabroek News yesterday.

Meanwhile, Arokium feels that jet-fuel was used to burn the remains of the men as he said while he had diesel at the camp site he does not believe it was used for the conflagration. The man said when one is in the interior, depending on the location, if clothes get wet it takes about two or three days to dry because of the humidity. That is why he believes that the men’s bodies were placed together and jet-fuel used to burn them so as to accelerate the process. He said he found about three drums of diesel at the camp site and as such does not believe that his fuel was used to commit the act.

Meanwhile, the police in a release on Saturday said the force had received a printout from the telephone company on the cellular phone which Arokium said his son Dax had on his person but the number is registered to a female. The phone evoked interest after Arokium’s lawyer revealed that calls had been mysteriously made on it in August this year. If it was the phone he had at the time of this death whoever made calls from it would have a lot of information to provide.

The police release said the force contacted Arokium on the issue and asked how his son would have gained possession of “such a phone, from whom, and whether it was received from the person recorded as being the legitimate owner.” The release said that Arokium related that he had bought the phone and SIM card from a Digicel outlet at Parika, East Bank Eessequibo and gave it to Dax.

Yesterday Arokium maintained that he purchased the phone and told Stabroek News that he is willing to take the police to the store where he made the purchase. He said while the number listed by the police is correct he could not understand how the phone would have been listed in a female’s name.

And the police said acting on information received they have since arrested three persons who may have knowledge “of a cell phone with a SIM card of a similar number” and they are currently being questioned.
Wong, Nigel Torres, Cecil Arokium, Compton Speirs, Bonny Harry, Horace Drakes, Dax Arokium, and Lancelot Lee were slaughtered at the Lindo Creek mine and their remains burnt possibly around June 9-10. Their burnt remains were only discovered by Arokium on June 21.

Since the gruesome discovery, Arokium has maintained that he believes that the men were killed by elements of the joint services while the police have said that all evidence thus far points to the ‘Fineman’ gang. After the miners were killed, their bodies and belongings were burnt and no trace of diamonds was found although it was clear that they had completed a `wash down’.

A forensic team from Trinidad concluded preliminarily that tests of shells found in the area indicated that the killings were carried out by the Rawlins gang. Skeptics have said that ballistics tests will not prove anything as shells could have been planted at the site by persons who had free access to it. A team from Jamaica subsequently came to gather the DNA evidence.

The Lindo massacre – the third for the year – has riveted public attention and spawned many theories on what possibly happened. The government has not agreed to have an inquiry into what occurred at the site. The massacre came after those at Lusignan on January 26 and at Bartica on February 17.

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32 Responses to “Ninth man could be key to Lindo puzzle”

SandHurst first
on October 6th, 2008 6:12 am

I am definitely feeling sorry for Mr. Arokium and if he got that gut feeling that his son, brother and workmen were killed by the joint services then we should believe him. Its the same feelings one gets when his/her mind tells him/her not to do something or do it. The police cannot be trusted simply because they are not doing their jobs unhindered, rather they are led astray by the bigger heads. I dont believe that there are intelligence working in the joint services since most if not all of these men, are either school dropouts or cannot read and spell properly. Had the British intervened in this matter two days after it would had been solved and the real criminals would have been brought to justice. Its really hard to live in a society where you cannot trust the people who are paid to protect you! Remember a fish rots from its head!!!!!

[Reply to this]
sheik
on October 6th, 2008 6:37 am

Let’s see where this takes us.The police should have a special team assigned to this case until it is resolved since their seems to be a lot of pieces to the puzzle hanging out there.
Simultaneously Arokium should have his own private team. However all this might be in place, but I do not know that.

[Reply to this]
amen-ra
on October 6th, 2008 7:10 am

Sometime i wonder if we would ever know the truth of what happened at lindo creek.

[Reply to this]
sweetgreatone
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 8:46 am:
We already know the truth the Joint force killed those men and did not realized that a nineth man was watching there every move now the police are on the hunt for that eye witness heaven help him if the joint force catches before he can give a statement of what really happen to those 8 men . Hope he is not discovered dead .

[Reply to this]
amen-ra
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 10:07 am:
I thought they said that they have a wittness already in custody.

RS
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 6:09 pm:
Where do you people come up with these crap. Do you have real jobs or do you have a lot of time on your hands do write non sense. Oh great detective work, Scotland Yard probably taught you all well.
Fulano de Tal
on October 6th, 2008 8:55 am

For the safety of the “ninth man” I recommend you keep him a secret from the JS Mr. Arokium. I’m in total agreement with SandHurst first. According to the KN 2 people who received calls from the deceased phone were arrested. it’s amazing how the powere that be use people to fulfill their shady desires. If indeed they (the JS or Phantom hunting for the bounty offered) killed those miners it’ll be almost impossible to bring this to a genuine closure. Nevertheless, DO NOT lose heart since the truth will come out. What frustrates is when it will. Hold on to what you believe & one day all responsible will be made to pay. Quite a few of them will face charges for crimes against humanity.

[Reply to this]
LoveGT4Real
on October 6th, 2008 9:03 am

There are way too many “spins” in this case.

I would want to think that Arokium has some legal advice in terms of which pieces of information is released to the public, otherwise he could be making a serious gamble that may be used against him at a later date.

[Reply to this]
Dude
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 1:09 pm:
LoveGT and the other bloggers are full of crap as Arokium. From the evidence available, nothing incriminates the JS. However, the evidence does point to an inside job.

All this non-sense about jet fuel being use - can you Dudes believe this rediculous non-sense. Then the phone # given to the police belongs to someone else. Arokium wants to take the PF to Parika - what is this, a tea party. Arokium, you can write a soap opera. The rest of you can pay to see that crap.

[Reply to this]
LoveGT4Real
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 4:29 pm:
Obviously an intelligent comment from an equally intelligent blogger.
As the saying goes “where ignorance is bliss it’s folly to be wise”
BIG D
on October 6th, 2008 9:04 am

The Joint Services are investigating themselves.A Special team of investigators should handle this matter.The miners were robbed and killed.The loot was shared.Gold and diamonds.No such loot were found on Fineman and Skinny.The witness is in hiding,or in protective custody.Mr green should produce him now.Mr Arokium should consult Private Investigators.The persons who receive the calls know the caller.He is still around.

[Reply to this]
Myinput
on October 6th, 2008 9:06 am

Something fishy about this entire story. If I were the “nineth man” I would stay in hiding. You just can’t trust anyone.

[Reply to this]
torbo
on October 6th, 2008 9:21 am

if the visionless govt. of guyana had invited the british to do the dna testing
this matter would have come to a conclusion long time ago but they denied
the british the chance to do the dna testing, what they did was to invite the
jamaicans/trinis who can”t even solved some of their own grizzly crimes
so what can the guyanese public expect from this investigations NOTHING.

[Reply to this]
Fulano de Tal
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 10:15 am:
& ahm torbo . . .. yuh raley tink duh is a mistake!!?!?!? Deh kno wha deh di doin all along. Is a story fuh di theater guild. Deh just trying fuh mek pple look like fool but Arokium gyeh som sturdy cojones. Leh we ALL pray fuh he (& di 9th man)

[Reply to this]
briantee
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 10:30 am:
Torbo when you dont want details to come out , you put incompetent people to do the job, and thats what happened in this case.
There are so much unsolved cases in Jamaica, and by the way since when has Jamaica been noted for its capability in forensics.

Things are never done the correct way when there are facts to be covered up.
The powers that be have a lot to hide but hopefully one pf these days,one of these days the truth will come out and they will have to pay

[Reply to this]
Marlon Rajijah
on October 6th, 2008 9:44 am

Ninth man! He was known of by Arokium three weeks after the massacre! This is only made know now. Similarly, the cell phone calls were know of for a while and only recently hit the media market. See a pattern here? What game is Arokium playing? He seems to be the sole custodian of information and is delivering it when he sees fit. At the same time he wants justice done. I get the feeling not just any justice but that of the arrest and condemnation of members of the JS. I sympathise with Arokium for the lost of his son and employees, plus property but he needs to come clean. He is slowly revealing his agenda. Smart guy!

[Reply to this]
Pepie
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 2:02 pm:
Marlon I want to side with you but I am hesitant because the ninth man theory is common knowledge among the man in street since Mid June. This theory is a ninth man is nothing new as Stabroek News may want us to believe.

I heard stories of a ninth man way back in June when I was at home. So when the police said they had a witness in custody, the first thing that came to my mind was that of the ninth man but only to realised that after two weeks of this new development by GPF nothing more was being said other than they will not be releasing any information about the now precious witness for security reasons. It is my belief that the witness was a hoax orchestrated at putting the theory of a ninth man to rest.

The GPF is playing defence here. They are waiting for Mr. Arokium to say something and then attack him rather than devote more resources in solving this and other crimes. The GPF should not be playing the blame game with Mr. Arokuim. When they do this it shows that they are not serious about solving this and it raises questions more and more about this being an in house mistake that is being cover up.

If one read the Dailies you would that almost every lead that GPF have had came from Mr. Arokium. So what are they doing really? When was the last time they SOLVED a crime? Killing suspected bandits is not solving crimes. GPF FYI….. Crimes are solved not only by gathering evidence, which includes the accused but presenting the evidence gathered to a court of law where justice is dispense. Could somebody tell me when last this happened?

[Reply to this]
amen-ra
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 5:15 pm:
You are so right pepie, but most people cant’ see that.

African Queen
In reply to the above comment on October 8th, 2008 7:24 am:
I beleive Arokium is definitely on to something. But, what I can tell u is that the police can obtain a print-out of that phone number from Digicel, as to the numbers dialled a day or 2 prior to the killling and after, up to recently, unless the employee whose name was used to purchase the phone, may also have answers to the puzzle, and if a print-out cannot be obtained.

I wish u all success on your hunt in the Movie “Unsolved Murders” Starring the JS and Mr. Arokium, co-starring The Government.

[Reply to this]
freespeech
on October 6th, 2008 9:55 am

first he said that the phone was registered to him, he is the owner and he give it to his son, now the truth is the phone is registered to a woman, now he is claiming that they used jet fuel to burned the bodies, and that a ninth person and his son were transported on a tractor to the camp.
from the inception i said this man’s story doesn’t add up.

[Reply to this]
daxjason28
In reply to the above comment on October 8th, 2008 12:35 pm:
i get the feeling that you’re implying that mr.Arokium is’nt bein truthful about his comments.well,i know for a fact that my dad would’nt lie about what he knows,he has knowledge about the interior due to his 30 something odd years working there.He assumed that jet fuel was used to burn the bodies because it helps to excellerate the combustion process knowing that it would take a pretty long time to burn 8 bodies with such high humidity within the interior.About the 9th persons situation i imply that you read the news more often.

[Reply to this]
commentator
on October 6th, 2008 10:03 am

i belive this story has too many twist and turns.firstly i think these evidence are coming too sketcy,we had the case where mr Arokium said from the position of his camp Fineman’s gang could not have commited this act, next it was believed that it was done by the joint services, ok then there was a woman who informed mr Arokium about the murders before he traveled to the camp,Question who was this woman ? how did she knew that camp was mr Arokium’s camp?Was this woman in the area to discover this finding to alert mr Arokium ? If these questions can be answer then why the joint services did not start all investigations here i’m sure that if that was done probably mr Arokium would have remember when he reached the camp that his son had a cell phone that he brought and started looking right away for that phone and see if any evidence might have been on that phone for instance he might have tried dialing someone for help who knows,next if the nineth person was around to witness everything why didn’t he informed mr arokium much earlier only now ? see why it just don’t add up?

[Reply to this]
Fulano de Tal
on October 6th, 2008 10:19 am

As an old pal of mine from the “Link Show” (how is the PO work pal) would say in his drunken stupor, “Ah wonda is wha happn to di eyewitness from di minibus wha deh di seh deh had!?!?!”

[Reply to this]
evileyes
on October 6th, 2008 11:39 am

Stay tuned folks…like i always said…Arokium will eventually come around and tell investigators how much he knows…give him time to reflect……

[Reply to this]
quibian
on October 6th, 2008 11:58 am

another piece of arokium cock and bull story.

[Reply to this]
malaika06
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 5:55 pm:
Quibian!
You obviously fail to realise or perhaps have forgotten that Mr. Arokium lost his son, brother and employees under circumstances that still baffle all of us. The man didn’t even get the privilege to bury his family, for goodness sake.

Where is your sense of compassion? You should be ashamed of yourself by such comments you offer, since you are still adding insult to injury!!! Mr. Arokium is obviously seeking answers and all you and some other bloggers can do is make this into a political football. So just lay off with the sarcasm and let the chips fall where they may!!!

PS* For now, I’m not going to speculate on the perps of this crime, or who’s lying; trying to cast blame or the other, until something definitive comes out. I suggest you and like-minded others do the same.

[Reply to this]
Charriot
In reply to the above comment on October 7th, 2008 1:29 am:
Money has no lover, no friends!!!
Ryon Lowe
on October 6th, 2008 1:15 pm

Looks like, there is more in the bowl than the mortar and pestle .

[Reply to this]
good guy
on October 6th, 2008 4:13 pm

The “Ninth man” –maybe Fineman and he is dead —Case closed . Focus on the current bandits that is creating havock in the city and its enviorns .

[Reply to this]
Arnold
on October 6th, 2008 7:57 pm

This is coming to be A Cart pulling the Horse story…

[Reply to this]
SOESDYKE
on October 6th, 2008 9:24 pm

This sound like a good name for a movie. One day the truth will come out.

[Reply to this]
eloise
on October 9th, 2008 6:02 am

SOESDYKE , YOU ARE RIGHT ONE DAY THE TRUTH WILL
COME OUT.

[Reply to this]