WCB murders…
Talks are currently underway to secure the services of one of the world’s leading forensic anthropology organisations to support the Guyana Police Force’s investigation into the murders of the three teenagers – Joel and Isaiah Henry, and Haresh Singh – in the West Coast Berbice backlands. 
The Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (Equipo Argentino de Antropologia Forensica-EAAF), which has worked on high-profile cases in many parts of the world, has offered to send to Guyana a team that includes a forensic pathologist, a forensic anthropologist and a forensic radiologist. The team will bring the equipment they need.
In a joint statement issued on Thursday by the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) and the law firm representing the interests of the families of the deceased pro bono, Hughes Fields and Stoby, it was revealed that discussions are ongoing with the Director of the EAAF to have the team come to Guyana.
“The anticipated outcome will be an unprecedented collaboration of local, regional and international forensic expertise. The EAAF team will build on the forensic work of the Regional Security System, which is currently examining samples from the crime scene, victims and suspects,” the joint statement detailed.
It went on to say that the team will be in Guyana for a week, and will present a report of its findings within a month’s time. According to the missive, the visit will happen as soon as the logistics of getting the team to Guyana are completed.
The major challenge to this, the missive stated, may well be COVID-19, rather than administrative issues.
“Engagement of a prestigious team such as EAAF increases the possibility of providing the families of the victims with some form of closure, as well as securing a successful prosecution of the perpetrators. A version of the truth surrounding the deaths, which is supported by the best science available locally, regionally and internationally, will also increase acceptance by all right-thinking Guyanese. Such a report would provide a foundation on which to build more harmonious communities both on West Coast Berbice and throughout the country,” it was noted.
Already, a five-member team of investigators from the Regional Security System (RSS) is currently in Guyana to assist the Police Force with its investigations into the murder of the teens.
The team, which arrived in the country on Monday, met with Police Commissioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie; Crime Chief, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum, and ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Major Crimes Unit (MCU).
The visit of the RSS team is as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Government of Guyana and the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (Caricom IMPACS) consequent to a decision by Guyana’s President, Dr Irfaan Ali, to seek regional assistance with the investigations.
Meanwhile, President Ali recently disclosed that evidence gathered from the investigations into the murders of WCB teenagers has been sent to St Lucia for analysis.
“We have a team that has left for St. Lucia with some of the evidence, to do more detailed analysis; so that is going on. At the same time, for confidentiality reasons, the regional body has asked to have certain things respected from their perspective, and we are sticking to that,” President Ali said during a recent interview.
On September 6, the bodies of Isaiah and Joel Henry were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, WCB, almost one day after they were reported missing. They had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts in the backlands, but did not return home. Their butchered bodies were found in clumps of bushes partially covered in mud after relatives went in search of them.
The news of their deaths sparked protests across several villages along the West Berbice corridor, and commuters and other innocent persons were beaten and robbed, while roads were blocked and some vehicles were torched.
Three days later, on September 9, 17-year-old Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death is in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police.
Several persons who were arrested for the murder of the Henry teens were released on station bail; while, to date, no arrest has been made in relation to Singh’s murder.
EAAF, since its foundation in 1984, has worked in 55 countries. It is involved with the case regarding the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico, currently attracting much international attention.
EAAF is made up of 70 members with qualifications in different scientific fields, such as anthropology, archaeology, medicine, criminalistics, information technology, biology, and genetics. They work at the different offices that the institution has in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Tucumán) as well as in New York, Mexico, and South Africa.
Since its creation, EAAF has remained independent of any government or political party influence, and is distinguished by its low profile, being more involved with actions than with words.
Its financing sources are typically European and North American foundations, some European states, and, since 2005, the Argentine state.
