-positively identified by victims

Four army ranks, accused of  robbing a mining camp at Five Star, Region One, were yesterday reportedly positively identified at an identification parade and are expected to appear in court shortly, according to a state counsel.

Justice Winston Patterson yesterday afternoon heard habeas corpus proceedings filed on behalf of the four men. He had earlier made an order instructing Police Commissioner Henry Greene to appear in court in the afternoon to show cause why a writ should not be issued, directing him to produce the accused soldiers in court.

The judge made the order after Attorney-at-law Gregory Gaskin filed habeas corpus proceedings early yesterday morning on behalf of Lieutenant Lancelot Gordon, 21; Lance Corporal Teon Moffat, 22; Private Shawn Lord, 20 and Private Orwin Woodruff, 20. The affidavits for the four men were signed by relatives. Before the order was granted, Gaskin had argued that the continued detention of the men was illegal and in violation of their fundamental constitutional rights.

Stabroek News understands that the men were picked out in an identification parade by the two Brazilian miners, including the general manager of the mining camp where the incident took place. The miners were flown out of Port Kaituma on Sunday morning.

Last Wednesday, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) issued a press statement in which it announced that it had handed over an officer and three ranks to the police following an allegation that they had robbed a mining camp at Five Star in Region One. The army had said that members of a GDF investigative team, who had received reports about a robbery, intercepted the patrol of one officer and three privates and found a quantity of gold and cash on them.

Further information reaching this newspaper indicated that the miners offered the soldiers three pennyweights of gold each in exchange for them not being removed from the camp because of their illegal status. According to reports, after the miners started to beg the army ranks for a chance the ranks told them that they would “flex” with them and asked what they had to offer.

The miners then borrowed gold from the general manager, who is not illegal as he is married to a Guyanese, and promised to repay at the next ‘wash down’ at the camp.

One of the miners informed the owner of the camp, who was in Port Kaituma at the time of the incident, and he then reported the matter to the police. The GDF was informed and an investigative team was sent in and interrupted the patrol. A search unearthed the cash and gold in the soldiers’ possession. It is not clear where the cash came from as according to reports no cash was taken from the Brazilian miners.

In their affidavits, the four ranks, who are all attached to the Jaguar Company of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the GDF, said they were taken into police custody at the Eve Leary and are being detained at the Golden Grove Police Station, Diamond, East Bank Demerara. Their relatives said while they have been able to take food for them they have been unable to see them. But according to relatives, the four have maintained their innocence throughout the ordeal.

The four are said to have unblemished records and have never appeared before a court of law.

The relatives said Gaskin told them that when he made enquiries about the men, the investigating ranks informed him that they can offer no assistance or information about the allegation for which the quartet is being held. It was argued that the continued detention of the four is illegal.