A member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is in custody over the death of a 53-year-old soldier whose body was found in an army barrack at Camp Stephenson on Sunday morning.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Gordon Sayers died as a result of cerebral haemorrhage due to blunt trauma.
According to a police source, following investigations one person, who has been identified as a serving member of the GDF, is likely to be charged with Sayers’ murder. Stabroek News understands that a file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice after which additional information was discovered and the file was sent back to the DPP for further advice. In the meantime police say their investigations are continuing.
On Sunday Sayers’ body was discovered at around 1.30 pm with a wound to his head. Following the discovery, the police had detained five soldiers who were in the barracks at the time, for questioning. In a press release the police had said they were investigating the incident as a suspected murder as the man’s body bore marks of violence.
At the time the army had said that at about 1 am security personnel at the Timehri camp found Sayers lying on the floor of the barrack with a wound at the top of his head. This newspaper was told that bloodstains were found on the frame of the upper bunk of a bed where the man’s body was found. Investigators also recovered a bottle containing an alcoholic liquid, at the scene.
Sayers was stationed at army headquarters; Camp Ayanganna, Thomas Lands but he was among a group of soldiers heading to Tacama, another army base located on the Berbice River. According to reports while on their way the men’s vehicle broke down and they were forced to stay at Camp Stephenson on Saturday night.