PROTESTERS, on Sunday, blocked the roadway along the Number Five and Number Three villages, West Coast Berbice Public Road, bringing traffic to a halt for commuters going to Georgetown and for those coming into Region Six and other parts of Region Five for more than five hours.

Tyres were set alight and debris were dragged on to the roadway as residents called for justice for the killing of the Henry cousins, Isaiah and Joel, whose mutilated bodies were found in the village’s backlands.

The relatives and residents are contending that it been almost a month and they have not received word on what is happening in relation to the case. A team of investigators from the region is working on the matter and efforts are also being made to have a team of forensic experts from Argentina be part of the investigations.

Police, in a statement on Sunday evening, stated that at about 10:30 hours, persons claiming to be the relatives of the late Isaiah and Joel Henry and some residents of Number Five Village, West Coast Berbice, began to block the Number Five Village bridge with old tires and debris and lit same.

A police patrol vehicle arrived shortly thereafter but had to request assistance. Subsequently, additional ranks were deployed to the scene at Number Five Village and commenced clearing the bridge.

About 13:15 hours, they were successful in clearing the Number Five bridge but had to immediately respond to reports of Number Three Village Public Road being blocked.

The ranks, as at 16:15 hours were still working to completely clear the roadway in Number Three Village. Protesters voiced concerns over the seeming delay in ongoing investigations but were repeatedly told that their protest was illegal and unlawful and that arrests will be made.

The protestors were reminded that ranks from the Major Crimes Unit are  investigating the murder with assistance of a regional investigative team drawn from RSS and CARICOM IMPACS.

The statement added that ranks  will remain on the ground until all the roads are clear.  However, by 18:00 hours, the Guyana Chronicle was informed the situation was under control and traffic was beginning to flow freely.

Meanwhile, a five-member team of investigators from the Regional Security System (RSS) arrived in Guyana last Monday to assist the Guyana Police Force (GFP) with investigations into the three high-profile murders in Berbice.

The investigators are looking into the murders of Joel Henry, Isaiah Henry and Haresh Singh. The killings occurred at Cotton Tree and Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB).
The team, which is led by an assistant commissioner of police, comprises officials from countries within the Regional Investigative Management Systems (RIMS).
On September 6, the bodies of teen cousins, Isaiah and Joel Henry, were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, WCB, almost one day after they were reported missing.
They had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts in the backlands, 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. The news of their deaths sparked protests across several villages along the West Coast Berbice corridor and commuters were beaten and robbed. With blocked roads, some vehicles were also torched.
On September 9, Haresh Singh, 17, was found murdered in the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the police.