Godfrey Carrington, a 59-year-old farmer of Lot 71 Unity Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara, who was held for questioning in relation to the discovery of the charred remains of Shaquille Jones known as “Botha” was last month placed on $1 million bail with the condition that he reports to the police periodically.
This is as a result of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) advising the police to continue investigations, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum stated yesterday when asked for an update on the matter. Blanhum also said that investigators are currently awaiting the DNA analysis report for Jones.
Stabroek News had earlier reported that the Crime Chief had confirmed that an investigation had been launched and the matter was being treated as manslaughter.
At about 13:30 hours on Sunday, February 25th, the remains suspected to be those of 22-year-old Jones known as “Botha” of Lot 44 Inner Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, were discovered at Cone Shop Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara, in a heap with burnt tires and what appeared to be a piece of burnt denim jeans and a piece of underwear.
Police say that Jones’ 16-year-old friend who accompanied him to the farm went to the La Grange police station and related that in the month of November, 2023, (date unknown), he along with another friend, Timothy and Jones, conspired to steal citrus fruits from a farm in Cone Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara.
The 16-year-old explained to police that as they approached the first farm, they were confronted by the owner who chased them with a cutlass, causing them to run further down the dam to another farm. He related that as they approached the other farm, they jumped over a mesh fence and heard Jones scream out. They then realized that Jones had been shocked by the electrified fence. In an attempt to rescue Jones, Timothy and the 16-year-old, took a piece of wood and tried to remove him from the fence and in the process, the 16-year-old suffered a shock to his foot. Efforts to remove Jones were unsuccessful and as a result they hid behind a mango tree and waited there until the next morning.
At sunrise, the 16-year-old continued, Carrington went to his farm and was picking fruits when he saw Jones lying on the ground. According to the 16-year-old, they waited a while but whilst leaving Timothy threatened to kill him if he disclosed to anyone what transpired.
Acting on information received, a party of police in the company of the 16-year-old, visited Cone Shop Street where they met with Carrington who took them into his farm. There, the 16-year-old pointed out the area on the farm where he saw his friend electrocuted but there were physical changes to the fence. Carrington then admitted that he had demolished his old fence and erected a new one with barbed wire.
Ranks then proceeded to the back of the property and discovered an area that appeared to be a fire heap. It contained several pieces of burnt tires, and upon closer examination, they observed what appeared to be human bones, including a skull. The skull was burnt, and the bones were scattered across the fire heap, while some were dispersed more than forty feet from the fire heap. Ranks observed what appeared to be a burnt part of denim jeans and a piece of underwear.
Sharon Jones, the mother of Shaquille Jones, told Stabroek News that on December 5, her son worked in Canal No. 2 and returned home in the evening. Afterwards, his friend Timothy visited their home and while she was looking at television, the two left without informing her.
