The Lethem woman whose telephone number showed up in wanted man, Rondell Rawlins’ diary has said that the communication to the gunman might have been made by a soldier who had used the device.
Up to press time last night the woman was still in police custody at Lethem, as investigators continue to grill her on her association with the fugitive who along with several others eluded capture in the dense jungle at Christmas Falls, Upper Berbice River exactly one week ago. Stabroek News was told that the woman had been denying any association with Rawlins and has reportedly told investigators that a soldier whom she knew had borrowed her phone and he might have communicated with Rawlins.
Meanwhile, joint services ranks in pursuit of Rawlins and his gang have made no progress one week after they said they had cornered the men in the dense jungle. Observers believe that the gunmen might have already slipped the security forces cordon, but the joint services say this is not so, insisting that the criminals would be either caught by ranks pursuing them or perish in the jungle.
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.
The security forces had also discovered that the men were housed in an area 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, clothing, medical supplies and a Bible.
