-found with cash, gold
A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer and three ranks who allegedly robbed a mining camp in Region One last week are now in police custody after they were found with a large amount of cash and a quantity of gold in their possession.
According to a release from the GDF the discovery of the cash and gold was made by members of a GDF investigative team who received reports that the ranks had robbed a mining camp at Five Star, Barima/Waini.
The release said that the ranks were handed over to the police who are investigating the crime.
Crime Chief Seelall Persaud would only confirm that the army ranks are now in police custody but gave no further details on the robbery. He said the police received the robbery report and informed the GDF.
Stabroek News understands that the report the police received did not indicate that money was stolen at the time of last week Thursday’s robbery.
Residents in the Port Kaituma area yesterday told Stabroek News that it was a Brazilian mining camp that was allegedly robbed by the army ranks. One resident said the ranks are stationed at Mabaruma and he noticed they passed through the area last week and went into the backdam. It was a day later when the owner of the mining camp came out to Port Kaituma and reported the matter to the police station in that village.
“Is like dem see is Brazilians and (the attackers) want tek advantage according to what I hear dem tell de people to give three pennyweight a gold,” one resident said adding that he was told that there were some 12 miners working the mining camp.
The GDF release said the men were on patrol in the area when they allegedly committed the act of robbery under arms.
“Preliminary reports indicate that last Thursday one officer and three soldiers allegedly robbed a mining camp in the area. Following searches conducted by a GDF investigative team which interrupted the patrol a quantity of gold and a large amount of cash were found on their person,” the brief release said.
It said the ranks were handed over to the police. The GDF said it “remains totally committed to a transparent and thorough investigation of the incident.”
