Visit Rupununi expresses concern over apparent sloth in Rupununi guide’s death investigation

The Visit Rupununi tourism organisation, in a social media post on its Facebook page, has expressed its alarm at what it described as “the visible lack of progress” in the investigation into the death of well-known Rupununi guide Leon Baird, known as “Rasta”. Baird, who was a resident of St Ignatius Village, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Essequibo), was found dead last Sunday.
Police had said that the man’s partially charred remains were found along the eastern bank of the Rupununi River, in close proximity to the Wichabai Ranch. A post-mortem examination conducted on Tuesday, January 27, by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh, gave the cause of death as burns and indicated that the victim was alive prior to the fire, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) disclosed in a recent press release. Visit Rupununi, in its statement Saturday, noted that it is now the seventh day since his brutal death and claimed that while there have been reports of sightings of the suspects and witnesses who have come forward, the lead investigator has not been seen in the area since last Sunday, nor have the suspects been formally questioned – while physical evidence remains uncollected at the crime scene.
According to the post, based on information reported from the area, it is widely suspected that the gruesome murder was carried out by cattle rustlers in the Sand Creek area. “Cattle rustling in the Rupununi has for years been carried out by organised groups known within the region and repeatedly reported to the authorities,” the statement added, but the rustling continues. The organisation called for the relevant authorities to intervene and ensure that the case is “actively and thoroughly pursued”, adding that justice delayed is justice denied for the family and the region.
“When acts of this magnitude go unanswered, it sends a dangerous message: that violence can occur without consequence,” it also stated. The organisation went on to call for “a transparent, professional investigation and a clear commitment for law enforcement and national authorities to uphold justice,” as well as “immediate action to ensure this crime is not forgotten and not left unresolved.” Police had said that after the autopsy was conducted, the body was handed over to relatives for burial. DNA samples were also obtained as part of the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, as part of the probe, it had also discovered items of evidential value, including a knife and spent shotgun shells, which were recovered and lodged as part of ongoing investigations.