Cops question female relative, Buxton shopkeeper

Jun 20, 2009 News

-come up empty-handed after searching village

By Michael Jordan

Police detained a shopkeeper from Buxton and a female relative of Kwame Rumel Jobronewet, as the search intensified yesterday for the missing 67-year-old American.
However, both were released late yesterday afternoon after being questioned by ranks from the Vigilance Police Station.
Police also scoured the backlands of Buxton but found not trace of the elderly US citizen, who disappeared nine days ago.
“We are leaving no stone unturned. It (the disappearance) seems very strange,” a senior official said.
Detectives questioned the 34-year-old shopkeeper after confirming that Jobronewet had tried to make a purchase at the man’s Company Road, Buxton establishment last week Friday night, the very day that he disappeared.
Initial reports had indicated that he had left Buxton that afternoon and had not returned to the village.
Detectives at the Vigilance Police Station also questioned one of Jobronewet’s female cousins who occupy the Company Road, Buxton house that he had visited shortly after coming to Guyana.
The Lot 55 Company Road, Buxton residence is located some 200 metres from the shop of the man who is being questioned, and the woman insists that Jobronewet left her home around 15:00 hrs last week Friday.
The new developments came just a day after Jobronewet’s relatives had complained that local police were not doing enough to find him.
A relative had told Kaieteur News that he had received reports that the US citizen had attempted to make a purchase with US currency at a shop in Buxton at around 20:30hrs on the Friday that he disappeared.
Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, the shopkeeper’s reputed wife confirmed that her spouse had seen Jobronewet.
But from what her spouse had said, this encounter had occurred during the morning hours, though she is unsure of the day that it occurred.
According to the woman, the 36-year-old shopkeeper told her that Jobronewet came to his shop and attempted to purchase a drink with US coins.
“He came here daytime and ask for a drink, and my husband say these coins ain’t got worth in Guyana,” she said.
According to her story, her spouse refused to sell Jobronewet, and the man then left.
She said her spouse did not know in which direction the elderly man had headed. She added that he was also unaware that the US citizen had relatives living a stone’s throw away from the shop.
Relatives who fear that there is something sinister in the disappearance, have dismissed suggestions that he may be suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
One relative said that he corresponded regularly with Jobronewet, also know as Romie Johnston, and that the man always appeared to be mentally alert.
The relative suggested that the police should focus their investigations on the places where the man was last seen.
He suggested that persons with knowledge of the missing man’s real whereabouts were fabricating reports about Mr. Jobronewet being seen at Timehri and Victoria, East Coast Demerara.
The man and other relatives believe that the American had a large sum of US currency in his possession to assist with expenses for his mother’s funeral.
Jobronewet disappeared last week Friday on the very day that he arrived in Guyana for his mother’s funeral.
Relatives had then accompanied him to the Lot 55 Company Road Buxton home, where his mother had once lived.
The house is occupied by Phyllis Browne, a cousin of the missing man.
Ms. Browne, has told Kaieteur News that Jobronewet arrived around 10:00 hrs two Fridays ago at the Company Road residence.
According to her, he then left around 15:00 hrs after indicating that he was going to visit his uncle in Goedverwagting. He was reportedly carrying three small bags.
According to the woman, he left through the back gate, which led onto Middle Street, Buxton.
Yesterday, the woman expressed regret that she had not questioned her cousin further about where he was going.
Relatives said that the missing man was wearing a white shirt, jeans, a pair of black shoes and a white Kangol cap.
He was reportedly also carrying three bags, including a red one marked ‘California.’
Persons with information of Mr. Jobronewet’s whereabouts can contact his relatives 222-2688, or contact the nearest police station.

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