A Kuru Kuru, Linden/Soesdyke Highway miner on Saturday succumbed to his injuries after he was chopped about his body on Friday during an alleged robbery and police are currently seeking two suspects, a Brazilian national and his step-father.
The dead man has been identified as David Atkinson called ‘Long Hair’, 36, a miner of Kuru Kuru. The two men on the run are 23-year-old Dexter Jonas of Boa Vista, Brazil and his stepfather called ‘Oman’, the only identity that the police have.
Police believe that the attack carried out on Atkinson is linked to a “washdown” (a gold find) in a backdam in the Cuyuni River area.
Atkinson told police that he was attacked and chopped by Jonas and his step-father. He succumbed while police were transporting him to the Bartica Hospital.
Investigations have revealed that Atkinson, along with two others, were employed to work on the mining area owned and operated by Azad Mohammed.
On Thursday, after the washdown, Atkinson and his colleagues, Trevor and Andy Thomas, went to the landing where they had several drinks before returning to their camp. While returning the following morning at around 1am, they were attacked by Jonas and another individual, according to the account given to the police by the colleagues.
Police said that the men alleged that they were held at gunpoint and robbed of a quantity of raw gold. The men further claimed that they managed to grab Jonas, took away his firearm and then took him and the gun to their camp and handed him over to Mohammed.
However, Jonas reportedly managed to escape before the police arrived.
Further investigations by the police, meantime, resulted in a different account of events. Police said that Diego Jonas, who is Dexter’s brother, claimed that Atkinson and his two coworkers visited their camp and they were all watching television together. At around 10:30 pm on Thursday, three men invaded the camp, held them at gunpoint and demanded gold and money, he told police.
Diego told the police that he was cuffed to his head by one of the attackers and he fell unconscious. After his stepfather found him, he related what had transpired and the man then left in search of Jonas.
Meantime, the police said that on arrival at the scene, Mohammed handed over the gun, a black Glock 19 pistol, which was seized from his employees’ alleged attackers.
Mohammed told police that at around 4:50 am on Friday morning, his employees returned to the camp with the eldest Jonas brother. Mohammed said that he was told by his employees that it was Dexter Jonas who attacked and tried to rob them.
Police said they found Atkinson with an incise wound and multiple lacerations about his body in Mohammed’s camp.
When he was found, he was still alive and he related to the investigating ranks that it was Dexter Jonas and his stepfather who chopped him.
Police said they have since taken the two employees and Diego into custody. They are currently assisting with the investigations.
