Another miner has been killed in the interior with the latest victim stabbed to death reportedly by an ex-policeman.
Dead is Rafael Khan, 32, of Queenstown, Essequibo Coast. Police said that his body was found at about 4 pm on Saturday at Mowasie Backdam, Mahdia, Potaro, with suspected stab wounds to the chest. The circumstances surrounding Khan’s death are being investigated, police said. The body is at the Mahdia Hospital mortuary and is due to be flown to Georgetown today.
Khan’s murder is the latest to have happened in the increasingly violent gold fields. Only last Wednesday, two miners, a father and his son, were brutally killed after being attacked and robbed at their camp at Konawaruk.
Khan was stabbed with a pair of scissors, a relative told Stabroek News yesterday. The suspect who relatives said is an ex-policeman has not been held. “He was beaten and then the man stab he with scissors,” an aunt said. She said that Khan had gone into the gold fields about three weeks ago. “He normally do gold wuk,” another relative said. “He is a seasoned bush man.”
The relative said that while they did not have many details, they were told that Khan was attacked by the ex-policeman while he was on a trail. It was not clear what sparked the attack. The matter was reported to the police and the body was brought out. Khan is the father of a four-year-old boy.
His murder follows that of miners Daniel Higgins, 48, of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, and his son Daniel Higgins Jr., 22, which occurred at about 10:45am on August 17 at White Water Backdam, Konawaruk. Police said that investigations revealed that the victims were mining when a man approached and shot Daniel Higgins about his body while another man chopped his son to his neck. The body of Daniel Higgins was found buried in the mining pit. He was reportedly buried with the aid of an excavator while still alive. No one has yet been charged.
Investigations are in progress.
