Police descended on a home at Meadowbrook and arrested ex-army officers, Oliver Hinckson and Dorian Massay during an early morning operation yesterday.
Details were vague as to why the two were arrested but a source told Stabroek News that the police are interested in ascertaining where the two men were on a few ‘particular dates’.
From all accounts Hinckson and Massay, who had been moving together for sometime now, freely went with the ranks.
It was shortly after 8 am when a green pick-up pulled up in front of the controversial Hinckson’s bungalow-styled home where he had reportedly been residing for a short while now and two men in plainclothes disembarked. The men went into the yard and shortly after emerged with Hinckson and Massey.
A source told Stabroek News that the men did not resist and were also not handcuffed. They were placed in the vehicle which drove away immediately after they were inside. Hinckson and Massay were carted off to Police Headquarters, Eve Leary where they remained up to press time last night.
This newspaper spoke with an attorney who said his chambers made legal representation on behalf of Hinckson shortly after he was detained.
The lawyer said they were unable to extract any clear statement from the police as to why the men were arrested and ended up leaving Eve Leary with nothing.
“They can hold these men for questioning yes but from all indications they have nothing. We do not believe there is any case against Hinckson”, the lawyer stated. He added that they will be following up on the matter and monitoring what is happening.
The Police Public Relations Office when contacted yesterday confirmed the men are in custody. The office would not comment further. Last night, a press release from Eve Leary said “Two men were arrested by the police (yesterday) in connection with public statements made prior to the terrorism activities (inflicted) upon the Bartica community.
The police are also searching for other persons allegedly linked to the event which preceded this terrorist act in Bartica”.
Hinckson, a former army lieutenant had offered to act as a mediator between the government and the gunmen recently in the wake of the Lusignan massacre prompting much debate. He had also taken on President Bharrat Jagdeo for statements which he described as offensive to retired army officers.
Hinckson and ex-soldier James Gibson are currently before the court on joint charges of possession of arms and ammunition.
They are jointly charged with having a .38 pistol, twelve .38 rounds and twenty-six 12-gauge shotgun cartridges on June 6, 2006 at Lot 115 Aubrey Barker Street, South Ruimveldt.
The duo had made their first appearance in court on June 12, 2006 and was subsequently released on $75,000 bail each. They denied the allegations that were made against them.
Police acting on a tip-off swooped on the South Ruimveldt house around 2 pm on June 6. During the search of the premises, the illegal items were reportedly found. The two men were taken to army headquarters before being handed over to police.
Two months before they were caught, the army issued wanted bulletins for them, following the disappearance of 30 AK-47 rifles and five pistols from GDF headquarters.
Massay, a GDF cadet who had been sent on a course to the UK, returned to Guyana a few years ago after being detained on several charges while on the course.
He was later discharged from the army. He has since featured occasionally in the press through letters and news items and was also detained for questioning in 2005 around the same time that Hinckson and Gibson were taken into custody.
