It has been more than a month since Bartica resident Perion Nicholas Bobb was murdered, and while no charges have yet been laid, Police Commissioner Leslie James said that the investigation remains active, though the police have experienced difficulty in locating witnesses.
“…The crime occurred in an interior location and in terms of witness or witnesses, we have had some difficulty in that regard,” James told reporters during a press conference held at his office on Monday afternoon.
Stabroek News had previously reported that Bobb was killed after he was confronted by a group of men, in the wake of making a report to the police that persons were stripping a vehicle.
His co-worker, Emmanuel Jeffrey, 60, a miner of Kuribrong and of Good Hope Village, East Coast Demerara, was reportedly abducted by the men afterward.
The murder occurred around 5.30 pm on April 21, while Bobb was transporting dredging equipment from the Kuribrong Trail to the Kuribrong Backdam for Jeffrey.
His body was later found slumped over the steering wheel of the pickup he was driving. An autopsy later revealed that he died as a result of gunshot injuries to the chest.
The police had initially arrested two persons for questioning but they were subsequently released.
While James refused to divulge details about the suspect/s in the matter, he noted that there are a number of persons who were implicated in the crime.
“If they are suspects or a suspect we don’t want to alert persons but I know it is an active investigation…there are a number of persons whose names are being called in the matter…” James said.
Commander of ‘F’ Division, Kevin Adonis, had previously informed this newspaper that a case file was prepared and sent for legal advice. The file, Adonis had said, was returned with recommendations for further investigation to be conducted in the matter. It is unclear if such has been completed.
It is suspected that Bobb was shot because he reported that another miner’s vehicle was being stripped for parts. He reported what he had witnessed to both the police and the owner of the vehicle.
Jeffrey had stated that while he and Bobb were proceeding along the trail, he observed a truck proceeding in the opposite direction at a slow rate.
As a result, he said, Bobb stopped his pickup for the truck to pass. The truck was some distance away and Jeffrey told the police he heard two explosions, after which he jumped out of the pickup and lay face down on the ground.
Shortly after, Jeffrey noted that he was ordered to jump into the truck. Fearful, he said he complied and entered the tray of the truck, where he saw about eight men, who ordered him to lay face down.
About 15 minutes into the journey, Jeffrey said, he managed to jump off the truck and made good his escape. He walked back to the scene, where he discovered that Bobb had died.
