— Roads cleared for vehicular traffic
— 4 released on bail as probe into teen’s murders intensifies
Four of the seven persons who were taken into custody in relation to the horrific murders of cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry have been released on bail as investigations continue.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud met with relatives of Haresh Singh on Thursday
Guyana Times understands that the 72-hour detention period had expired, and that investigators did not opt to seek extensions from the court to further detained the suspects. However, these four persons are required to report to the Police today (Friday).
Three suspects from the initial seven who were arrested earlier in the week remain in custody, and are assisting with the probe. When contacted on Thursday, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times that several other persons have been arrested over the past 24 hours and are being interrogated in connection with the teen’s murders.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and other Ministers met with relatives of Isaiah and Joel Henry on Wednesday
On Sunday, the mutilated bodies of the Henry cousins were found aback Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice (WCB). They had left their Number Three Village, WCB home last Friday to pick coconuts in the backdam, 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 on Sunday.
Post mortem examinations conducted on Wednesday show that the teenagers died from haemorrhage and shock. In the case of 16-year-old Isaiah, he sustained a severed spine between the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae, and a number of chop wounds to his head.
The body of 19-year-old Joel had a total of 18 wounds. He, too, suffered a severed spine between the 1st and 2nd vertebrae. It is believed that after sustaining wounds to the head, he fell to the ground and then got the wound that severed his spine.
Following the gruesome discovery, the Police had arrested seven persons, including the owner of an estate upon which bloodstains were found, his son, two coconut vendors, and several employees. Three more persons are also being sought by police.
The murders have sparked widespread protest action, particularly along the West Coast Berbice Corridor, with persons blocking the roads and burning debris while calling for justice.
The situation escalated from Monday to Wednesday, and persons even threw missiles at Police as they attempted to clear the blocked main roadway. The protest turned violent as protesters blocked traffic along the WCB roadway while robbing, beating and extorting from innocent commuters. Millions of dollars were also lost as vehicles went up in flames.
Several other persons, whose relatives were robbed and beaten, took to social media and shared photos of the state of their loved ones with injuries. Additionally, persons reported that their clothes were ripped off as they passed the area.
However, after days of unrest and protesting, the West Coast Berbice Public Road has been cleared on Thursday, thus allowing for persons to safely traverse the area.
In a statement issued jointly by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force, it was noted that “…despite attacks by protestors on members of the Joint Services, the ranks have been able to clear the stretches of roads that were blocked along West Coast Berbice and East Coast Demerara, which facilitated the free flow of traffic as of today, 10th September, 2020.”
Moreover, the joint missive further detailed that based on the assessment of the operations, additional resources were deployed to the West Berbice area in furtherance of the maintenance of law and order and facilitation of unhindered flow of traffic in the area.
This was following a visit to the Region by GDF Chief of Staff (ag) Brigadier Godfrey Bess and Police Commissioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie, to have a firsthand appreciation of activities on the ground, as well as to assess the issue of welfare of the ranks.
They also met with the bereaved relatives of the Henry cousins as well as the family of 17-year-old Haresh Singh, who was murdered on Wednesday at the Number Three Village Backdam. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation to the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police.
Meanwhile, the Heads of the Joint Services also indicated that the Police are in receipt of reports and evidence of assault on members of the public, and have since arrested three persons, and will continue in their efforts to arrest and prosecute others who were identified breaking the law. Of those three persons arrested, two are for robbery and the other for malicious damage to property.
“The Joint Services would like to reassure the citizenry that it will continue to maintain law and order and ensure the unimpeded flow of traffic along the West Berbice corridor,” the joint missive stated.
On Wednesday, father of Isaiah, Gladstone Henry, told reporters that he was in no way supportive of the violent protest actions across the country. Isaiah’s father called on the protesters to desist from attacking persons and damaging property. He noted that the protests, calling for justice for his son and nephew, should do so in an orderly manner.
