A confrontation took place last Friday between the sister of missing 48-year-old porter, Imlach Josiah Sears, who is suspected to have fallen off a vessel while sleeping, and the boat captain, at the Parika Police station in relation to the initial conversation the family had with the captain and the fact that he refused to respond to the family’s subsequent queries.
The porter disappeared on May 10 reportedly in the vicinity of Leguan in the Essequibo River.
The victim’s sister, Auset Gaia, told Stabroek News on Tuesday that she was invited to the Parika Police station last Friday to meet with the boat captain to recap the initial conversation that he had with her and her mother. They had contacted the boat captain for more details after being alerted about Sears’ disappearance.
Gaia relayed that when the boat captain was asked the question on Friday, he chose not to respond to her. She was then issued a statement by the police to sign stating that moving forward, a request will be made to the phone company for information on the conversation between her, her mother and the boat captain to clear up any discrepancies.
She added that as of now there is no significant information that would give the family any idea or closure as to what really happened on the boat or regarding the discovery of her brother’s body. She is also requesting anyone who may have any information about the incident or her brother’s whereabouts, to contact the nearest police station.
According to the Commander of Regional Division 3, Senior Superintendent Mahendra Siwnarine, the investigation is still ongoing.
The commander had said that it was reported that the porter went to the upper deck of the boat to rest and while he was resting, it is alleged that he fell off the boat.
Gaia had told Stabroek News on May 23 that she was made aware of the incident when her mother received a call on May 11 at 3:35 pm from an unknown person, who was inquiring if she had heard anything from her son or if she had seen him. Her mother replied in the negative and the person said okay. The same person kept calling her mother to see if her brother was at home. She added that that was when she decided to call the man back to inquire about her brother.
Gaia disclosed that the man then identified himself as the boat captain and told her that her brother was last seen on Friday, May 10, when he left the Banks wharf located at Thirst Park where the boat docked.
She added that on May 12, she contacted the boat captain again to inquire if he had found her brother, to which he replied in the negative. The boat captain informed her that he was beginning to get worried, as her brother never did such a thing before. He then informed her that he would be making a report at the Leonora and Parika Police station. Gaia in turn told him that she would make a report in Georgetown also.
The sister was eventually informed that a report was made at the Leonora Police station three days after her brother went missing, and that the boat captain reported that “my brother went upstairs to sleep in the boat and fell off of the boat.”
