— but former Gov’t settled for regional experts

FAMILIES of the eight Lindo Creek victims, through their attorney Nigel Hughes, had made several requests for Forensic Science Service – a UK government-owned company which provides forensic science services to police forces and government agencies of England and Wales – to conduct an independent investigation into the mass murder, but to no avail.
The charred remains of Cecil Arokium, Dax Arokium, Horace Drakes, Bonny Harry, Lancelot Lee, Compton Speirs, Nigel Torres and Clifton Berry Wong were discovered on or about June 21, 2008 at Lindo Creek in the Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice Region by dredge owner, Leonard Arokium.

With strong suspicion that the Joint Services–a team comprising members of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force–had mistakenly killed the miners while in search of the ‘Fine man Gang’, Arokium, with support from other family members, retained the services of Hughes to represent their interest with the hope that an independent and fair investigation would have been conducted.

Mr Hughes, an attorney since 1988, told the CoI that he dispatched a letter to the then Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene, on June 30, 2008, indicating that he had been retained by Arokium in relation to the death of the eight miners.

In that letter, Hughes said he reminded the Commissioner of Police of his public statements pertaining to a fair investigation, and used it as a basis to inform him that Forensic Science Service (FSS) was willing to travel to Guyana to investigate the massacre.

“You will no doubt appreciate that given your public statements that members of the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force were not involved in this ghastly incident, then any independent review or analysis by persons competent to the arena of forensic examination would only serve to corroborate your exoneration of members of the Guyana Police Force and the Army,” a section of the letter penned to Greene read.
Earlier in that letter, the fears of the families were also detailed.

“Our clients are extremely concerned about the integrity and impartiality of any investigation conducted by either the Guyana Police Force or the Guyana Defence Force into the deaths of their relatives, given the real and present fear that members of either the Guyana Police Force or Guyana Defence Force or both might have been involved in the deaths of their relatives,” another section read.
That letter was carbon-copied to the then Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Commander Gary Best and though Best never responded, Commissioner Greene acknowledged receipt of the letter on July 1, 2008.

SOLICITING US ASSISTANCE
It was also on July 1, 2008 that the Commissioner of Police indicated via a public statement that the government was soliciting assistance from the United States (US).
Again, Hughes, on behalf of his clients, wrote the Commissioner informing him of FSS’ availability to conduct an independent investigation.

“We have noted in the press statement of the Minister of Home Affairs that he is unable to ascertain the date of arrival of the forensic experts from the United States of America. We have been in contact with the Forensic Science Service of the United Kingdom, government-owned company….They have recommended a team of two pathologists, two forensic scientists, two scene-of-the crime officers and two mortuary staff to conduct a proper investigation,” Hughes said as he read excerpts from another letter which was written to the Police Commissioner.

The letter had also included an estimated cost and contact information for Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Alfredo Eugene Walker, the point person. That letter was carbon-copied to the then Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee; the then British High Commissioner, Fraser Wheeler; and GDF Chief-of-Staff Gary Best. On July 3, 2008, Greene acknowledged receipt of the letter.

However, on July 2, 2008, shortly after the letter had been dispatched to the Police Commissioner, Hughes issued a press release, stating that he had proposed to the Commissioner of Police and the Government of Guyana that the services of Forensic Science Service out of the UK be retained. In that statement, Hughes said he pointed out that with the passage of every day, there was a degradation of the crime scene.

AMERICANS UNAVAILABLE
Upon acknowledging receipt of the second letter from Hughes and team, Greene disclosed that the Americans were no longer available and suggested that the Home Affairs Minister be engaged with respect to the UK company.
Hughes said he along with the families would later come to learn that the government was retaining the services of teams from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica to assist in the identification of the remains.

“I certainly remember the outrage that the family members felt that there was a concentration on identification of the remains, and they seem to have abandoned the investigation, and we wrote the Commissioner of Police somewhere around the 14th or 15th July, indicating that concern,” the attorney told the Commission.

By August, Hughes said they received information that Dax Arokium’s phone number was in active use. “We actually managed to get the print out of all the calls that had been made from his cellphone. We believed that the cellphone was actually utilised… in the region of Linden,” he told the Commission.

However, when the Commissioner of Police was informed of the development, he denied that Leonard Arokium had informed the police that his son had a phone at the time of the murder. The family, however, maintained its position that the police were supplied with all necessary information.

On September 20, 2012, in a letter addressed to the then Police Commissioner Leroy Brummell, Hughes on behalf of his clients, expressed disappointment that the remains of the miners had been buried without their families being notified.
Brummell responded and included a report of the investigation in his correspondence.