SINCE the start of the New Year, ‘F’ Division has recorded three disorderly murders and another incident which claimed the life of a young man who plunged into the Mazaruni River to evade pursuers after an alleged break-in attempt at a shop.

In the latter incident, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended a further probe.

Commander Courtney Ramsey told this publication that the abuse of alcohol has contributed significantly to these disorderly murders in the interior locations.

The senior officer disclosed that in 2014 they saw an overall reduction of murders by 5% in that division and they have also projected a reduction this year.

Ramsay said that in 2013 they recorded 42 murders, including one domestic, six robberies, 24 disorderly and 11 undetermined murders.

He stated that in 2014 they tallied 39 murders including seven domestic, three robberies, 20 disorderly and seven unknown murders.

Ramsey pointed out that they have beefed up their patrols in that division and have adequate human resources as well.

USE OF ATVs
He added that they have All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) at several locations, including Bartica, Mahdia and Port Kaituma to police the area.

Ramsey explained that these murders are spontaneous and the police cannot be everywhere all the time and although there are roving patrols, one must understand some of these locations are far-fetched.

The Senior Superintendent added that if they get a telephone call of a murder, they respond with a team of ranks and it takes a while to get to the actual location to launch an investigation.

Ramsey added that some areas are very remote and it is not as if ranks can take a bus and get there quickly and sometimes they have to walk for miles and trek through difficult terrain.

He observed that sometimes if an incident occurs overnight, the police cannot get there in time to apprehend the suspect, who sometimes gets away before the ranks arrive.

CULTURE OF IMBIBING HEAVILY
Ramsey said it is a known culture among miners to imbibe heavily, and ‘little things’ and misunderstandings turn deadly like the instance when a miner was fatally stabbed over a pack of cigarettes last Saturday.

Police reported that at about 21:00 hours last Saturday, Quincy Jones was imbibing when he became involved in an argument with another man over a pack of cigarettes in a shop at Honey Camp, Issano, Mazaruni River, during which he was stabbed to his chest.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bartica Hospital and the suspect was arrested pending investigations.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident at about 21:00 hours on January 6, 2015, miner Noel Clementson, 35, of Bartica, was involved in an argument with another man at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River, during which he was stabbed about his body.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bartica Hospital. The suspect has not yet been arrested but investigations are continuing.

Investigations are being conducted also into the death of miner Andre Britton, 50, of 111 Miles Mahdia, Potaro, which occurred at about 01:30 hours on January 1 at Mahdia.
Police said Britton had earlier confronted a man, who was assaulted for throwing squibs into his yard, and the man later returned and stabbed him about his body.

Britton was pronounced dead on arrival at the Mahdia Hospital. The suspect has been arrested.

Commander Ramsey also recalled the incident in which David Marks, who allegedly was observed breaking and entering a shop in the interior, was confronted by several persons, after which he jumped into the river to escape capture and his body was found on January 7.

Police had reported that at about 23:00 hours on January 4, 2015, Marks was allegedly seen breaking and entering a shop at Papi Show Landing, Mazaruni River, and was confronted by residents.

Marks is reported to have jumped into the river in order to escape and was not seen until January 7, 2015, when his body was recovered from the water.

Ramsey said their probe revealed that Marks was seen by the shop owners which was not broken into but he was pursued and dealt several blows to the body by a group of men, who were drinking and to escape capture he jumped to his death.

He noted that the file was with the DPP and it was recommended that the police do further investigations since the incident was not classified as a murder.

(By Michel Outridge)