A resident of Sand Creek Village in South-Central Rupununi is blaming the police for not acting professionally, resulting in him not being able to get justice for the theft of sheep worth over $2 million nine months ago.
Ivan Atkinson, 64, related to Stabroek News that a man who moved into the village when he entered into a common-law relationship with a villager, and who later befriended him, was identified as the thief. Atkinson said the man would visit him at his home regularly and they would have drinks together. He said he came to trust the man as an honest, hard-working man who was able to adapt to the way of life of the Amerindians. “I admired him for that and felt that he was honest,” Atkinson said.
According to Atkinson, the man spent “a long time in the village until he was expelled for dishonest acts.” Atkinson related that some time during the Heritage Month celebrations last year (in September), he (Atkinson) took ill and was hospitalized in Brazil. He was later taken by his relatives to Georgetown for specialized treatment. He said the man chose this time to move in on his flock.
According to Atkinson, the man visited his home and instructed his workmen to round-up the flock. Thinking nothing was amiss, they complied. The next day the man returned with two trucks and proceeded to load the sheep onto the trucks. He said that on his return to Sand Creek after a month’s absence, he discovered that more than 100 head of sheep were missing. On inquiring, he was told of the actions of the man.
“In my still sick condition, I travelled back the 45 miles to the Lethem Police Station to make a report,” Atkinson remembered. He said a detective (name given) took the report and an investigation was launched. During the investigation it was discovered that some of the sheep were kept at a ranch owned by a resident of Lethem.
The police arrested the suspect two weeks later and the workmen were taken to Lethem to confront the suspect. At the station, Atkinson said, the men related to the police what transpired in the presence of the suspect, who denied the allegations.
“What get me baffled is that the man was released after spending a few hours at the station,” Atkinson said. He said he was not told whether or not the man was charged. He nevertheless turned up at Lethem in March this year, when court sessions were held there. Atkinson said he consulted his lawyer and they made enquiries with the police. According to Atkinson, they were told that the file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice, and that they should return at the next court session which was scheduled for April. Atkinson said his lawyer contacted the DPP and he was informed that no such matter was referred to that office. “Three days after that information, I myself went to the Lethem Police Station and Detective Cpl. Felix told me that the file was returned to the station with recommendations for action,” Atkinson said. “I was not informed of the recommended actions,” Atkinson continued.
According to Atkinson, he returned to court in April. “My lawyer was not present since he was engaged in Georgetown with another case,” Atkinson said. He also said that when he asked the police if the matter would be called, he was informed that the case jacket had to be returned to the DPP for further advice. He said he felt he was being pushed around and something did not seem right. He said it was against the law to transport cloven-footed animals to coastal Guyana from the Rupununi and wondered how truckloads of sheep were able to pass the numerous police checkpoints along the Lethem/Georgetown trail.
Atkinson said he needed justice since it has been more than nine months since his animals were stolen and the police seem not interested in cracking this simple case. “This is my pension, and a dishonest person rob me of that. What more do I have to do to get justice in this country?” he asked.
