A Military Policeman who was responsible for guarding four soldiers on Tuesday night just before they disappeared is expected to be charged soon.
That was the official position by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) yesterday after investigations revealed that the rank had not enforced the regulations in relation to the security of soldiers under sentence (SUS), army Public Relations Officer, Major Hubert Meusa said.
The four privates, three of whom were accused of stealing and selling arms from the army last month, were discovered missing from their cell at the army headquarters, Camp Ayanganna, shortly after the 5 am flag-raising ceremony on Wednesday morning.
Stabroek News understands that the ranks were present at a staff parade on Tuesday night, where a head count was taken. According to the army’s spokesman, an investigation was launched on Wednesday, immediately after the ranks were found missing.
“[The GDF] conducted investigations as to who was responsible for them at the time, when they left and how they left,” Meusa told Stabroek News yesterday. At the time of the interview, he could not say how the men escaped.
Up to press time last night, the army was still unable to determine the soldiers’ whereabouts. Stabroek News understands that checks were conducted at the homes of two of the ranks, and it was discovered that the soldiers had already packed their clothes and left for an unknown destination.
Meusa said the army is treating the breach in security as serious and, as a result, the army has embarked on a review of its system so as to ensure that all regulations are strictly enforced.
“We have always had a very strict system, but we find that some persons may not implement the system,” the spokesman stated.
He said in the case of the detained soldiers, they were kept in a locked cell, leaving their confinement only when chores were assigned to them, when they took their meals, or for the nightly staff parades when all ranks were expected to be present. But on all occasions, the ranks were expected to be escorted by a Military Police.
That Military Policeman who was in charge of the men, Meusa told this newspaper, “is expected to be charged, because he failed to discharge his duty.”
He said SUS is a serious matter and maximum security should have been enforced at all times.
Since Wednesday, the missing soldiers were deemed ‘absent from place of duty’, but only after 21 days of their disappearance, will they be considered ‘absent without leave’ (AWOL).
As yet, the army has not extended its search to the borders or neighbouring countries.
Three of the four missing Privates, along with a Lance Corporal, were confined to a cell at the army’s city base early last month, after a major arms racket was uncovered. At the time, two high-powered weapons belonging to the army went missing and the soldiers fingered several businessmen who they claimed bought the guns.
Several businessmen were subsequently nabbed during joint police/army operations which were conducted mainly in Corentyne, Berbice.
Three of the businessmen arrested have been placed before the courts as efforts continue to locate the two missing weapons - one an AK-47 and the other, an M70 assault rifle.
Two other men have been released on station bail, pending charges, while another was taken back to Berbice to face other charges.
The army had launched a probe early last month after an AK-47 was found in a black plastic bag under a bed at the Ruimveldt Coast Guard base in Georgetown.
Subsequent checks in the arms room revealed that another AK-47 and two M70 rifles were missing.
One of the two missing M70s was reportedly found in the possession of one of the soldiers.
Further investigations revealed that two other ranks were instrumental in the sale of the weapons. A Lance Corporal was fingered as the thief and a private, the alleged organiser for the sales.
One of the ranks had reportedly admitted stealing the missing AK-47 late July while a team of soldiers was transporting weapons from Cove and John on the East Coast Demerara to a Coast Guard base at Annandale. That weapon was discovered missing a day after the move. Shortly after the arrest of the first two ranks, two more were detained when a full magazine for one of the weapons vanished from the arms store. The magazine was later found in a cupboard belonging to one of the detained ranks.
Since their arrest, two of the ranks had agreed to turn State’s evidence.
With the uncovering of the racket, the army had tightened its security and inspections at all its locations and bases were carried out to ensure that the standard operating procedures (SOP) are adhered to in relation to the issuing and booking of weapons.