Police in Region Seven are still on the hunt for two suspects as they continue to investigate the death of a Kuru Kuru, Soesdyke-Linden Highway miner David Atkinson, who was fatally chopped just over a week ago.
Police have Atkinson called ‘Long Hair,’ 36, a miner of Kuru Kuru, was chopped about his body during an alleged robbery which occurred in a backdam in the Cuyuni River area.
Commander of the division Kevin Adonis on Friday told this newspaper that the Brazilian national and his stepfather, who are suspects in the matter, are still on the run. They have been identified as 23-year-old Dexter Jonas, of Boa Vista, Brazil, and his stepfather, who is only known to police as ‘Oman.’
He noted that the three other persons who were initially arrested have been released on station bail.
Police believe that the attack carried out on Atkinson is linked to a “wash down” (a gold find) days prior to his attack.
Investigations have so far revealed that Atkinson, along with two others, were employed to work at the mining area owned and operated by Azad Mohammed.
After the wash down, 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 1 am, 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, disarm him, 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.
However, further investigations by the police yielded a different account of the 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 the night of Thursday, three men invaded the camp, held them at gunpoint and demanded gold and money, he told police.
Diego further 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.
The police said that on arrival at the scene, Mohammed handed over the gun, a black Glock 19 pistol, which were 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 incised 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.
