Three charged with beating miner to death

arrest warrant issued for fourth suspect
Three men were yesterday remanded to prison after being charged with the murder of Allan Welch, who was beaten to death at 14 Miles Issano on Tuesday.

Mitchell Huntley

Mitchell Huntley, Shelton Forde and Ronald Forde were not required to plead to the indictable charge. It was alleged that on July 6 at Issano they murdered Welch.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Gavin Jones, who is the fourth person who was allegedly involved in the incident. Huntley, 40, of 76 Belfield, East Coast Demerara and is a miner; Shelton, 18, who resides at 74 Serra Lodge Housing Scheme, Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, is a pit-man; and Ronald, 19, resides at 84 Stewartville.

Prosecutor Inspector Stephen Telford asked for the matter to be transferred to Bartica and for the accused men to be remanded.
His application was granted and the matter was put down for July 21 at Bartica.

Welch, 54, who was from Bagotville, West Bank Demerara was beaten to death around 6:30 am on Tuesday, after reportedly being accused of stealing raw gold.

Shelton Forde

A post mortem examination performed on his body

Ronald Forde

yesterday gave the cause of death as brain haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt traumas to head, compounded by compression to the neck.