The grisly murders of the two Kato policemen is a sign that something went terribly wrong and only a thorough investigation would answer the many outstanding questions, a security source said.
The source told Stabroek News that policemen, miners and other residents of communities in E & F Division usually have good relationships as they all depend on each other for survival. Stabroek News was told of instances where mining camps would run out of food or be in need of something and would go to the police for help.
“Something had to happen to change that buddy relationship into one of hate,” the source said, adding that the torturing of policemen is not something that is heard of.
The source stressed that there is a lot more to the killings of Constable Leadon Aaron, 25, and Constable Marlon Letlow, 27, and somewhere in the North Pakaraimas area, someone holds the information that would crack the case wide open.
According to the source, a detailed full-scale police investigation is needed to find the reason why these policemen were murdered and in that manner.
Yesterday, senior police officials said they were no closer to the truth. One police official said the force continues to receive reports the two constables were involved in wrongdoings and were killed as a result, but investigators have been unable to find concrete evidence.
“This thing about two policemen going into a mining camp and committing a robbery doesn’t make any sense,” one police official said, adding that the manner in which one of the ranks was killed raises red flags. Based on the information received, Letlow was posted to the Kato Police Station six weeks before his death, while Aaron had been there for just over two years, after leaving the police training school.
The official said that there is definitely more to the story because the perpetrators took the time to burn one of the policemen. This was Aaron who was found strapped to a smoking tree truck. His upper body was badly burnt.
“Why shoot them, then burn one?” the official questioned noting that the force should be more vocal about the manner in which the two constables were killed.
“This is not a routine event. Is not everyday two cops are executed in such a manner,” the official pointed out.
Based on the timeline given to this newspaper, the policemen were killed some time on Tuesday last, two days after they left their station on a routine patrol. Reports are they were seen some time during daylight hours on that day.
The police had said in a brief press release last Wednesday that investigations were being conducted into a report that on Sunday two police constables left the Kato Police Station on an ATV on patrol duties and had not been heard from since. According to the release, information had also been received that the ATV had been seen “apparently with the headlamps on” along a trail in mountainous terrain in the Paramakatoi area, North Pakaraimas.
