Dear Editor,
Since the findings of the post-mortem examination on the body of Nakema Deonauth were published in the media last week and the subsequent release of the only person who was detained there hasn’t been any update on the case. Has the trail gone cold or interest by investigators waned?
The GPF has always been plagued by accusations of sloth, sloppy work, corruption and bribery. While many accusations have been unwarranted, quite a few have proven to be true. Many ordinary citizens have either a first- or second-hand tale to relate when it comes to the GPF and for this reason the competency and professionalism of the force are often questioned. One even wonders if anything ever gets solved other than ‘public murders’ with multiple witnesses and/or a confessor nearby.
What progress has been made with the processing of biological materials recovered at the crime scene including bodily fluids which may identify the person (s) responsible for the murder or at least establish their presence? Or do we still have the stone-age situation in oil-rich Guyana with the fastest growing economy where the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory is incapable of processing materials recovered at crime scenes which then have to be sent to Trinidad and Tobago? Not only is this time consuming and the chances of degradation of the samples greatly increased but ‘mix ups’ and even loss of materials can occur as we’ve seen with previous cases reported in the media. Is preliminary testing of small samples even done locally? What about other injuries on the body aside from what directly contributed to his death that may point to a motive or give a clearer understanding of the frame of mind of the individual (s) who viciously took his life? Are there other suspects or leads that the GPF is following? While details which may compromise the investigation are not expected at least, assurance in the form of updates can be given.
Editor, Guyana is like a village where news gets around quickly; someone at the crime scene or elsewhere mentions an observation to a friend and before you know it 20 people down the line become aware of the fact. What else is the GPF doing to solve this case besides, (probably) searching for CCTV footage and waiting on the murderer (s) to walk through the door and readily confess?
Has there been any progress in the investigation or has it gone cold with the hope that being out of the public eye it would soon be forgotten and relegated to the status of ‘unsolved’? Nobody has the right to take the life of another; to take away their dreams, happiness and future. Hopefully, there will be justice for Nakema.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)
