Concerns over pace of AK-47s probe
Guyana Chronicle
January 26, 2007
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said he is concerned about the effort being put into the recovery of the high-powered weapons discovered missing from the Army’s headquarters early last year and the “dwindling” in seniority of the person heading the investigations.
Mr. Jagdeo said he has expressed concern to the leadership of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) that the rank of the person heading the military criminal investigation department has dropped from a full “colonel” to a “major”.
He said the Army’s board of inquiry investigation is now before the Defence Board, which will examine the report in the coming weeks.
However, Mr. Jagdeo said he has concerns about the pace of the investigations into the recovery of the weapons.
“Given the importance of this matter, I think it should be given the highest attention and staffed by very senior people,” he told reporters at the Office of the President.
The disappearance of the weapons, along with the murder of military student Amar Rajkumar while he was in training in April last, marked periods of embarrassment for the Army in 2006 and President Jagdeo has ordered that the weapons be found at all costs.
Thirteen of the 30 AK-47 rifles discovered missing in February last have been recovered.
Speaking to reporters after he addressed soldiers at Camp Stephenson, Timehri, on December 20, Army Chief of Staff Brigadier General Edward Collins said while the enquiry into the disappearance of the weapons has been completed and a “multitude of breaches” were identified, the questions of who exactly moved the weapons and to where were left unanswered.