No evidence of foul play in Essequibo boat mishap

Henry Greene

-Greene
Commissioner Henry Greene yesterday said that the police have no evidence to believe there was foul play in the Essequibo River accident that left two men dead and a 10-year-old missing, as relatives are claiming.

Henry Greene
Henry Greene

“I would not be able to tell you that they found any evidence to support that position, but as soon we have anything that is worthwhile we would feed the public,” Greene said yesterday when asked if the men could have been robbed and killed as is the belief of their relatives.

Relatives of 45-year-old Jainarine Dinanauth and Henry Gibson, the same age, and 10-year-old Ricky Jainarine are maintaining that foul play was involved in the August 11 boat mishap and they have called on the police and army to listen to their plea for justice. The men were making the 30 minute trip from Parika to Hog Island when the incident happened.

Following the murder charges instituted against three Coast Guardsmen, Sherwyn Harte, Delon Gordon and Deon Greenidge, for the kidnapping and murder of Dweive Kant Ramdass, who was dumped in the Essequibo River last Thursday, Dinanauth and Gibson’s relatives called on the joint services to take a closer look as to whether those rogue army ranks could have been involved in their demise.

“We are investigating the mishap. I am not [privy] to that information as yet as to whether the coast guards were involved,” Greene said, when asked specifically of the possible involvement of the three ranks in the incident.

Asked whether the allegation was even put to the three coast guardsmen, Greene would only say that the police force is working on the case. He added that investigators were tied up with completing the investigation in Ramdass’ death and now that the men are charged they have more time to go “in-depth.”

Greene would not comment on reports of the green paint markings at the bottom of the boat following the boat accident which suggests that it had collided with a boat with green paint. The Coast Guard boat is painted in green. Dinanuath’s daughter Savitri had told Stabroek News about the alleged three-day docking of the Coast Guard vessel for maintenance following the accident.

Savitri said that she has video recorded evidence of the green paint and she also has a photograph of her father’s body position in the boat. A post-mortem done on the bodies of the two men revealed that they died as a result of blunt trauma to the head and drowning and Savitri said she believes the men were hit and then their heads were held under the water until they died.

Meanwhile, Stabroek News has been reliably informed that members of the Guyana Defence Force are investigating the incident although family members of the men are tight lipped. Reports surfaced that some army ranks are to meet with the mother of Jainarine, Salimoon Rahaman.

Yesterday Rahaman would only say that she once again went on a futile search for her son but this time unlike others the police were with her. “Well deh police went and we went to Fort Island [the coast guard base is in Fort Island] and dem drive around and look, look and talk to some people but dah is all,” the woman said. They did not visit the Makouria army base as was promised by the police.

Dinanuath reportedly had some raw gold on his person along with over $500,000 and a gold watch, all of which was missing when his body was found. He also had a bag that has not been found. The only thing found on his person was his licensed fire arm.