The police are awaiting records from Digicel on the calls made to and from the cellular phone Dax Arokium was said to have had in his possession when he and seven other miners were slaughtered in June at Lindo Creek, Upper Berbice River.
This newspaper has since been reliably informed that while the use of the phone had ceased at the time it was believed Arokium went into the camp, it started being used again sometime in July, over a month after Arokium’s father, Leonard Arokium, stumbled on the burnt remains of his miners on June 21.
A previous list of recorded calls made from the cellular phone, which this newspaper had seen, reflected over 40 calls being made to cell phones as well as landline numbers, particularly in the Linden area, for August alone. However, a subsequent list has since shown that some 72 calls were made from the telephone. A July list has not yet been seen by this newspaper.
The police have said, following the issuance of the list from the service provider, that investigations will continue. The elder Arokium, through his attorney, had said that he had provided the number to the police in his statement to them on the night after he made the discovery. However the police disputed this.
The police had also accused Arokium of releasing information through his attorney in a piecemeal fashion; they also said they felt he was grandstanding. Arokium’s attorney Nigel Hughes made acting Police Commissioner of Police Henry Greene aware that the phone registered in Arokium’s name was still in active use, even after his son was killed. He also noted that the phone’s use extended beyond the day on which wanted man Rondell ‘Fineman’ Rawlins was shot and killed along with prison escapee Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles.
The police then made the formal request from Digicel.
Immediately following the discovery of the burnt remains of his men, Arokium said he was convinced that the men were killed by the joint services.
However, the joint services have fervently denied this claim, and remain adamant that the killings had the trademark of Rawlins and his gang.
