Hicken recounts spotting ‘Fine man’ during gunfight at Christmas Falls

Mar 28, 2018 News

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-OPR official says he found no evidence Joint Services ranks killed miners
Could any of the Lindo Creek miners have been mistaken for members of the Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins gang?
Assistant Police Commissioner (Operations), Clifton Hicken, was asked that question by Justice Donald Trotman and Attorney-at-law Patrice Henry when he took the stand at yesterday’s public hearing into the slaying of the eight Lindo Creek miners.
Hicken responded that he “would not know” if this was possible. He also recounted spotting Rawlins and his men at Christmas Falls and the gun battle that followed.
His testimony followed that of Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Head, Heeralall Mackenlall, who said he had found no evidence that members of the Joint Services had killed the miners. Mackenlall had conducetd a two-week investigation into the killings.
Trip to Christmas Falls

Recounting events of June 5, 2008, Hicken, seconded to Kwakwani as Tactical Services Unit (TSU) operative at the time, said he received a call from Crime Chief Seelall Persaud between 07:00 hrs and 10:00 hrs.
Hicken, the tactical officer, was instructed to meet Persaud at Ituni at 12:00 hrs.
He was picked up by Persaud in a three-vehicle convoy consisting of five uniformed police ranks, and three others in civilian clothing. They proceeded along the UNAMCO trail and arrived at around 18:00 hrs at Christmas Falls.
There, Crime Chief Persaud briefed him that ‘Fine Man’ and four others were reportedly on the other side of the river at Christmas Falls.
The team camped for the night. He said that during that time, [evening], they heard “continuous gunshots” from the opposite side of the river.
Around 07:00 hrs the next day, Hicken and the team crossed the river. After some 30 minutes walking along vegetation and swamp, they took up tactical positions, and observed four buildings. These included an unfinished two-storey building, a latrine, a store-room and kitchen.
Hicken said that there was a mattress on the ground on the top storey of the building, and he saw “a thin-boned Rastafarian,” who resembled the individual in bulletins of ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins. At a second building, he saw another Rastafarian man; another man in a hammock, and to the edge of the vegetation, some five or six feet away from the lawmen, was another man in brown pants and camouflage jersey, who appeared to be gardening.
GUNFIRE
Hicken said that they observed the men for some 20 minutes. “Suddenly…he (the individual who resembled ‘Fine Man’) made a signal and “the one in white briefs” put an ammunition bag over his shoulder and picked up what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle, and fired towards the bushes.
The other man by the kitchen fired towards the team, and a third gave “suppressive fire.”
According to Assistant Commissioner Hicken, the individual believed to be ‘Fine Man’ ‘disappeared.” He said the shootout lasted about 25 minutes.
After the shooting stopped, Hicken said the ranks approached the building and found three FN rifles with magazines. They also found four shotguns and a quantity of ammunition; two .38 revolvers, and haversack containing more ammunition.
As they scoured the area further, they found the body of one of the Rastafarian men with a gunshot to his shoulder and another to the jaw.
They then contacted Crime Chief Persaud who joined them. Persaud then instructed them to gather the arms and ammunition and return to Georgetown.
Hicken also told the Commission that his team did not pursue the gunmen because, in his opinion, they lacked “the type of resources and equipment” to go after the gang.
“If you don’t know an area, you don’t pursue or you could be ambushed,” he said.
Questioned by attorney Patrice Henry, Hicken repeatedly said that he had only seen four men at the camp.
“So there was no ‘small friend’ or ‘Cussom’ among the gang,” Henry said. Hicken also said that he had at no time, gone to Lindo Creek.
Questioned by the Commission, the Assistant Commissioner said he had previous encounters with the ‘Fine man’ gang on the East Coast Demerara.
He also said that that he had seen photographs in the media of the slain miners.
Justice Trotman: “From the pictures of the miners…have you seen any resemblance between them and members of the ‘Fine Man’ gang?
Hicken: “I did not make comparisons, I just focused of recapturing the prison escapees.”
Shown photographs of the slain miners and asked about a possible resemblance to individuals in the ‘Fine man’ gang, Hicken said that none of them resembled any of the gunmen he had encountered.
Attorney Patrice Henry: “Can you say whether one of the miners…might have been mistaken or may have borne a resemblance to one of the ‘Fine Man’ gang?”
Hicken: “I wouldn’t know that.”
OPR INVESTIGATION
Prior to Hicken’s testimony, OPR Head Heeralall Mackenlall testified that he was sent to Lindo Creek to conduct an investigation into ‘rumours’ that members of the Joint Services had killed the Lindo Creek miners.
At the time, he was the Deputy Head of the OPR.
Mackenlall, a former Crime Chief, said that in June 2008, about seven days after the remains of the miners were found, he was told by Deputy Crime Chief Mohamed Jameer that as a result of rumors that the Joint Services ranks were involved in the killings, Commissioner of Police Henry Greene directed that he visit the area to ascertain if there was any such evidence.
He travelled to Kwakwani the following day. There he met, Senior Superintendent Crawford; Senior Superintendent Ramsey, who was Officer-in-Charge of Crime in ‘E’ and ‘F’ Divisions, and about three other CID ranks.
He interviewed them and several residents at Kwakwani, but received no useful information. He travelled to Lindo Creek with the other ranks, and checked to ascertain if there were other camps in the area. His intention was to question the occupants.
However, he found no other camps. He also questioned several persons along the UNAMCO road, along with security guards at the UNAMCO checkpoint and Ituni Road.
In addition, Joint Services ranks were also questioned, as well as relatives of the slain miners. Again, he received no useful information.
“During my inquiries, I was unable to ascertain where the rumours came from. I informed Mr. Jameer of my findings and he subsequently told me that the Commissioner of Police directed that the CID continue with their investigation.”
He said that the investigation lasted about two weeks.
Asked if the mandate of the OPR also included investigating members of the Guyana Police Force, Mackenlall said that the police can investigate criminal allegations against army ranks.

 

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