A Bartician currently in police custody may have been initially involved with the gunmen who slaughtered 12 persons in the community on Sunday night.
The man remained in custody yesterday and according to police sources, he said that he was called and threatened by the gunmen after he refused to assist them further in the run-up to the attack which also left many persons injured. Police believe that the man is still likely to give more information and have decided to keep him in custody.
“He may have gotten cold feet but we know he was involved initially and may have been watching on for the men,” the police source said.
This newspaper was told that officers are working on the theory that the man reneged on his promises and so was threatened.
Meanwhile a number of persons remained in custody yesterday in relation to investigations into the Bartica murders.
Reliable sources in the community told this newspaper that when the men struck many of the licensed firearm holders considered a response but the high-powered nature of the weapons which were borne by the gunmen was a major deterrent and would have been a challenge even for the police.
The source who is familiar with weaponry said the men had heavy firepower including machine guns.
The source said the men created mayhem and residents were shell-shocked even well after the attackers had made good their escape.
Body bags
The systems at Bartica were also overwhelmed and body bags for those who were killed were not available. The 12 bodies were piled onto a boat and were uncovered for all to see at the Bartica Transport and Harbours stelling. They were transported in the same fashion to the Baganara airstrip. At that point the bodies were loaded onto an aircraft and then collected at the Ogle airport by a Lyken Funeral Parlour hearse.
Stabroek News has learnt that the way the bodies were transported was raised at the Region 7 Regional Democratic Meeting where it was acknowledged that the situation was indeed atrocious and that the few police officers who were left standing after the attack tried their utmost under the circumstances.
Up to press time, reports from Bartica indicated that yesterday the community was not as tense and more people came out to conduct their normal activities.
Regional chairman Holbert Knights said however that there has not been a full turnout by students.
