Over one week after samples were taken from the body of murder accused, Mark Thomas, they are still in the possession of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) even though sources say that steps are closer to finalising arrangements for the samples to be taken to the USA.
Police yesterday said it would not be long before the samples are sent to the US for further testing to be conducted so as to determine what Thomas died from.
According to the police the samples are properly sealed and refrigerated and there is no concern that they would not be in proper condition when taken to a lab in the US.
Government Pathologist, Dr Nehaul Singh, performed an autopsy on the body of Thomas on February 4, but it was inconclusive as neither he nor Dr Edward Simon, who also witnessed the post-mortem, could come up with a cause of death.
Samples were then taken from 12 parts of the man's body, sealed and handed over to the police to be shipped to the US for testing.
Thomas died on February 1 at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was a patient since January 16. He had collapsed at the Brickdam Police Station after being told that he was charged with the January 5 murder of cattle farmer, Shafeek Bacchus. He was charged along with Ashton King, co-owner of the A&D Funeral Home and Shawn Hinds who are both in prison awaiting the commencement of the preliminary inquiry.
The three were charged after Bacchus' brother, George, said they among other persons were responsible for his brother's murder.
George Bacchus, following his brother's death, had publicly stated that he was an informant for a death squad.