THE scheduled return of the foreign pathologist who was recruited to perform examinations on the bodies of Azad Bacchus, 41, his son, Shazad Bacchus, 15, and his nephew, Faddil Ally, 18, could be delayed, depending on flight arrangements.

“We do not have a confirmed date for the return of the doctor,” a relative of the deceased persons told the `Chronicle’ yesterday.

The doctor was due to return to Guyana today to continue the autopsies.

The Bacchus males and Ally died in a confrontation with the Berbice Anti Smuggling Squad (BASS) on Tuesday, August 14.

Dr Hughton Des Vignes of the Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Centre was prevented from continuing the post-mortem examinations on the three on Tuesday, because he was not licensed to practise in this country.

The pathologist left the country later that day for Trinidad and Tobago to return with the original copies of his credentials so that his application for a temporary permit to practise here would be granted, the family member said.

The forensic specialist had also breached protocol when he proceeded to perform the first post-mortem examination on the body of Faddil Ally at a private funeral home in New Amsterdam, Berbice without the presence of a Police officer, a reliable source said.

Several minutes into the operation, a senior Police officer, interrupted the procedure and escorted the doctor to the Central Police station in the town. He was, later released.

Relatives of the deceased had solicited the service of the independent physician, after they had rejected the findings of the Government pathologist’s report.

The shooting incident triggered three days of protests, which turned ugly when demonstrators attacked the BASS office at Springlands, Corentyne, forcing the unit to open fire. The shooting resulted in the deaths of two persons on the spot.

An investigation into those deaths was launched by the Government. President Jagdeo met subsequently with the relatives of the persons who died as a result of the protest action. (CALVIN MARSHALL)