Lindo Creek CoI… Probe cleared ranks of killings -Former Army Chief

May 15, 2018 News

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Former Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral (ret’d) Gary Best, told the Commission of Inquiry, (CoI) into the Lindo Creek killings, that investigations cleared the army ranks of the allegations of murder.
In his first appearance before the Commission, yesterday, the former Army Chief read from a report, which he said had been presented to him after accusations of murder were levelled against members of the Guyana Defence Force.
Those ranks, who were accused, were on a Joint Service Operation along the Unamco trail, Christmas Falls, and Kwakwani area, Upper Berbice River.
According to Best, two teams of soldiers were deployed into the area as part of “Operation Restore Order”.
This was a Joint Security Operation, which formed plans to apprehend wanted criminals at locations in the Upper Berbice River.
Rear Admiral Best noted that the team specifically targeted the notorious Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins gang.
According to Best, subsequent to several brutal murders at Lusignan and Bartica and other places, the Security Forces were informed that Rawlins and gang had made their way into Christmas Falls, which is located in the Upper Berbice River.
The former Chief-of-Staff noted that the gang were not only notorious for the killings but for the weapons that were used in the murders.
Best told the Commission that on several occasions, investigators uncovered shells and other ammunition that matched the serial identities of weapons AK47 and AKM rifles that were stolen from the Army prior to the incidents.
One of the weapons recovered was “stolen” from Police Corporal Ivan Williams, who was shot and killed during a Joint Operation at Buxton.
Delving further into the report, Best recalled that while on travel duty, overseas, he was informed by the then Head-of-State, Bharrat Jagdeo of the killings of eight miners at Lindo Creek.
He recalled that the statements were handed over to the Guyana Police Force immediately after the report was handed over to him.
He said that he did not see the statements, just the report as it related to the Army dealings in the Lindo Creek matter.
Soon after, the former GDF Chief said that he ordered internal investigations into the Joint Services Operation.
The probe was not into the death of miners, but to uncover what led to the allegation that army ranks were responsible for torturing and killing eight miners at Lindo Creek.
Best noted that the murder investigation was not under the purview of the GDF —that was the job for the Guyana Police Force.
According to the findings of the GDF investigative team, the allegations of murder were unfounded.
Best noted that based on the findings of the team, he was aware that all ranks were interviewed at the Guyana Police Force, (GPF).
He was also aware that the statements of the ranks and a statement of Dwayne Williams — an eyewitness to the killings were supplied to the police.
The witness told the Commission that the external investigations were handled by the members of an anti-crime forensic unit from Trinidad and Tobago and the Guyana Police Force.
In addition to receiving it, Best said that the report was forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief (President) and Minister of Home Affairs.
Presiding Commissioner Justice Donald Trotman holds the view that transcripts and statements related to the deadly incident are being deliberately withheld from the Commission.
Justice Trotman spoke of the difficulty the Commission incurred in trying to obtain the information from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) about investigations conducted into the incident.
“At this point, we would hope that our feelings would be dispelled by honouring the request by both the police and the GDF,” Justice Trotman told the public hearings into the murder of gold miners, Dax Arokium, Cedric Arokium, Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres, yesterday.
Justice Trotman was at the time making a request to former Chief of Staff Rear Admiral (ret’d) Gary Best.
He called on the retired Army Chief to use his “good offices” to assist the Commission in obtaining the statements.
Even as he moves close to conclusion, the Commissioner said that those statements will put the Commission in a better position to form a correct conclusion.
“It very puzzling why those transcripts have eluded the Commission even though they had been requested to help us in finding out the truth as it regards the circumstances of the deaths.”
Former Lieutenant Colonel Fitzroy Warde later testified that he was the Task Force Commander for the Joint Services Operation at the Kwakwani, Christmas Falls and Unamco trail in June 2008.
He told the Commission that he was instructed by the Chief-of-Staff, Best to take command of the operations in the trail.
“Operation Restore Order was set to intercept and apprehend the criminals operating in the area.”
According to the retired Lieutenant Colonel, when he went into the area, the Joint Service Operation was already present.
He told the Commission that as part of their duties, two teams of army ranks accompanied by the police conducted surveillance along the trails.
Warde recalled that there were a number of patrols, and river and airmobile surveillance.
The former army officer also spoke of his encounter with Dwayne Williams— the teen member of the Rawlins gang, who is said to have witnessed the Lusignan and Bartica Massacres, the shootouts at Christmas Falls, Goat Farm and The Lindo Creek killings.
The witness testified that Williams’ story corroborated the evidence gathered from the crime scene at Lindo Creek.
He recalled speaking to the lad at Ituni Police Station.
“He said that Fine Man shot one of the men and that he was crawling on the ground…
He said that Rawlins took a hammer and smacked the guy in the head.”
The officers claimed that when the skulls and ashes of the burnt miners were retrieved from Lindo Creek, indeed one skull had a hole in it, which is consistent with the story Dwayne Williams told investigators.
Police Detective Rodwell Sarabo was also called to the stand yesterday. He told the Commission that he only witnessed the taking of the statement of Dwayne Williams, back in 2008.
By the end of yesterday’s proceedings, lawyers representing the GDF, Roysdale Forde and Leslie Sobers made another request for Williams to make an appearance before the COI.
“We would like to have his response to questions in real time.”
The lawyers said they will be satisfied to hear him speak even if it’s via Skype.
Williams who was also charged for the mass murders is said to be in the protective custody of the police pending his court trial.

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