The Guyana Defence Force lance corporal who reportedly allowed four soldiers under his guard to escape while at a city nightspot is scheduled to be courtmartialled soon.
A reliable source told Stabroek News yesterday that the rank is expected to be tried “early in October...either this week, or next week.”
Repeated efforts yesterday to have this confirmed through the army’s public relations department proved futile.
The lance corporal was placed under close arrest on September 6 for breaching army regulations. Earlier reports indicated that on the night of September 3, the rank escorted four soldiers under his guard, out of the army’s headquarters, Base Camp Ayanganna, to “hang” at a nightspot in South Ruimveldt. Each of the ‘detainees’ then asked for an excuse and escaped.
Stabroek News understands that two of the ranks were being detained for attempting to steal two high-powered weapons from the army, while the other two were serving detention for previously being absent without leave.
Three of the soldiers have since returned, while the fourth, a suspect in the arms probe, is still absent. Sources yesterday said that that rank might be declared Absent Without Leave (AWOL) since he had been gone for more than 21 days. But an AWOL publication to that effect has not yet been made in the GDF Orders.
The four soldiers were discovered missing on September 4, shortly after the 5.30 a.m. flag raising ceremony. A search for them was launched immediately, and that very night, investigations revealed that the soldier who is still missing had gone home, packed a bag of clothing and left. He has not been heard of since.
The other three were later taken back to the military base by relatives.
The army had launched a probe early in August 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. Only one of the M70 rifles was recovered.
The army then detained several ranks, three of whom it said, were directly involved in the pilfering and selling of the weapons.
Two of the soldiers had subsequently admitted to stealing the guns and trying to organise their sale. One of them reportedly admitted stealing the missing AK-47 in 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.
After weeks of investigations, the soldiers offered to turn State’s evidence, and are still expected to testify against the businessmen. The army has not yet formally penalised the soldiers accused in the arms theft probe.
Sources told this newspaper that the accused ranks will remain under detention until they have completed testifying against the Berbice businessmen.
Then the army will decide their fate. The soldiers, while being “detained”, are allowed to perform duties at the army headquarters.
Among those charged since the uncovering of the scam are Salim Bacchus and Mohamed Shaharudin, both of Corentyne. They were arrested together with Brazil and Suriname nationals, Amanda Sueli Dos Santos Vale and Yohan Soekha. The nationals pleaded guilty and are to be deported upon completion of their sentences. The two locals, along with Kitty businessman Rabindranauth Persaud, are on bail pending the outcome of their cases.
Since the daring Mash Day prison escape of five men, criminal elements have been using high-powered weapons, including AK-47s and M70s, to execute a series of murders and robberies throughout the country.