The reservist, accused of stealing an AK 47 rifle from the GDF’s Camp Ayanganna Headquarters last year November, turned himself over to police on Friday night and has admitted to the deed.
Stabroek News was told that the reservist soldier accompanied by a lawyer visited the Criminal Investigation Department, Headquarters Eve Leary where he was detained by the police.
The Guyana Defence Force on Friday had said that investigations were intensified to determine who stole the rifle which was found submerged in water at Alness, Corentyne Coast on Thursday. The weapon went missing from the army arms stores in November and was recovered during a Joint Services operation on Thursday. Two men: an interdicted policeman and a businessman who the weapon was sold to for $80,000 were nabbed on Thursday. Police sources confirmed to Stabroek News yesterday that a third man who is also a reservist soldier of Golden Grove, West Coast Berbice was taken into custody.
Army sources said that the police are likely to charge a number of persons this week in connection with the stolen rifle.
Meanwhile, this newspaper was told yesterday that the rifle was stolen on November 23 last year by the reservist. According to information on the night of November 23, 25 rifles were issued to be used by soldiers securing the military’s main base. However, on the night in question only 20 soldiers showed up for duty. Stabroek News was told that the reservist seized the opportunity and stole one of the weapons, which had been issued to another soldier, Sharth Robertson three days previously. He allegedly threw the weapon from a window into a clump of bush on the eastern side of the army’s base and left it there for three days before removing it and took it the home of another soldier at Golden Grove, WCB.
The high command of the force only became aware of the missing weapon on November 30 when a 100% check of the arms stocks was done at which time it was discovered that the rifle that was issued to Robertson had been missing.
Stabroek News was told that the reservist soldier who stole the weapon may have chosen Robertson’s gun because the rank was not there at the time and it would have been easy for the 22-year-old of Belladrum, West Coast Berbice to be blamed.
Robertson has been in army custody since last year when the weapon went missing. He and Alvin Wilson and Michael Dunn were allegedly severely beaten by members of the Military Criminal Investigation Department (MCID) during interrogation over the missing weapon.
This newspaper was told that having retrieved the weapon on November 26 from the bush a sale was arranged. Stabroek News was told that the interdicted policeman may have been instrumental in contacting a businessman of Adventure, Corentyne who eventually bought the rifle for $80,000. Police sources said that the policeman had also kept the weapon at his home for one night but his wife objected to it and he took it away the next day. Police are said to be looking for the woman to take a statement from her.
According to sources, from all accounts, the interdicted policeman was rewarded with $20,000 for his part in selling the rifle while the soldier from Golden Grove received $8000.
Meanwhile, it is not clear whether the men have implicated any of the soldiers who the army had interrogated over the missing weapon. The loss of the AK 47 had triggered a major shake-up of the base command structure at Camp Ayanganna and the subsequent releasing of several reservists from the force. Chief of Staff, Commodore Gary Best had said that the reservists were sent home since the army had no use for them.
In a statement last week Thursday the GDF said around 6 am, acting on information, a Joint Services team was deployed to Berbice to investigate the loss of the rifle. The statement said information confirmed that the weapon was hidden in the Adventure seaside area. Ranks, led by one of the suspects recovered the weapon at 3.30 pm at the side of a trench. It was wrapped in plastic, strapped with electrical wire and submerged in water. The weapon was lodged at the Albion Police Station. Sources said that it was the businessman who led the joint services to where the weapon was after confessing that he had purchased it. The interdicted policeman was picked up at his home and his relatives were of the view that it was an abduction. They later contacted ranks at the Whim Police Station and officers there quickly informed the Tactical Services Unit at the Albion station of what they thought was a kidnapping. Last month the military commenced court martial proceedings against Warrant Officer Torrington who was the base sergeant major at the time the rifle disappeared. (Nigel Williams and Shabna Ullah)
