Through rugged terrain…
POLICEMEN investigating the suspected murder of John Philander at Echerak, in Region Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) were yesterday reported to be making progress, through the rugged terrain, towards the remote area crime scene and were expected to reach there last evening.
The victim, of Fair’s Rust, Mackenzie, Linden, a miner and businessman, was hacked to death last weekend following a dispute, with another man, over money and gold.
Reports said the body of the deceased, a father of one, was discovered lying in his shop with several chop wounds.
Police Divisional Commander David Ramnarine confirmed that the corpse has, since, been removed from Echerak to Jack Daniels Falls, closer to Kaieteur Top, from where its retrieval would be made easier.
The Assistant Commissioner said, yesterday, that, after numerous telephone calls, some other strenuous work and cooperation from a number of external agencies, the Police were able to get a team to Kaieteur Top on Sunday afternoon.
From there, the team members were expected to do some further work yesterday to reach Jack Daniels Falls, after a boat journey several hours away from Kaieteur Top.
“So far, I have confirmation that they reached Kaieteur Top late Sunday afternoon,” Ramnarine said, adding that communication has now become a major problem, difficult to establish and maintain.
He said the ranks were scheduled to move from Kaieteur Top to Jack Daniels Falls yesterday morning and should have arrived there in the afternoon.
Ramnarine said a relative of the dead man has been assisting the cops to travel to Jack Daniels Falls.
He also acknowledged very good work done by a ranger at Kaieteur Falls who assisted the Police with information about the area and removal of the body from Echerak to Jack Daniels Falls.
Ramnarine said, given the general coldness of the climate at Echerak and Jack Daniels Falls, the cops were hoping to retrieve the body in fairly good condition.
Relatives said Philander had, less than two weeks ago, travelled from Echerak to Linden, after an absence of three years, to meet them and conduct some business.
“He was overjoyed at being able to connect with relatives. He spoke with everyone of his relatives. It was a very happy reunion for him,” his sister, Pinky said yesterday.
She said they learnt, from him, that he had left a man, known to him, in charge of his business at Echerak but, a few days ago, when he returned to the shop, he found that merchandise, raw gold and money were missing.
He became embroiled in an altercation with the other man and they had a fight. Sometime after,
Philander was sitting in his shop when his assailant attacked him, armed with a knife and a cutlass, fatally stabbing and chopping him about the body and fleeing with raw gold and money.
Philander alias ‘Black Man’ was unmarried but is survived by a son, Jamal Chin,15.