Phone calls link high ranking GDF officer to AK-47s
Kaieteur News
January 16, 2007
A high ranking Guyana Defence Force officer could face criminal charges for his alleged suspicious interference into the investigations of the disappearance of a number of weapons from the Camp Ayanganna Base in February last year.
This was confirmed by a senior member of the Joint Services, who said that President Bharrat Jagdeo is likely to pronounce on the matter soon.
“Most likely, interdiction is being looked at,” the source said.
According to the source, the President has given instructions to the Guyana Police Force to commence an investigation into the matter, and to lay criminal charges where possible.
Kaieteur News understands that the high ranking officer in question could be sent on leave to facilitate the investigation.
This newspaper had reported that there was a major shake-up of the GDF team that was mandated to investigate the disappearance of the weapons, since it was felt that the probe was being compromised.
Chief-of-Staff Eddie Collins had confirmed that a senior officer, along with a Warrant Officer, will be court martialled. He, however, did not identify them.
This newspaper was reliably informed that the spotlight began to shine on the high ranking officer on the evidence of at least two telephone calls that led to the recovery of two of the AK-47's and a pistol, which were among the missing set of weapons.
According to a source, on September 26, 2006, information was received from an anonymous caller, who stated that there are some AK-47s hidden at a location at West Coast Berbice.
An operation was ordered, and three AK-47s were recovered in a bag that was buried in an abandoned plot of land.
Two of the weapons were identified as the property of the GDF.
Then, on December 10 last year, information was received from another anonymous caller, which stated the location of a bag.
Another operation was ordered, and a bag containing a pistol, suspected to be one of the missing GDF pistols, was discovered.
According to the source, on both occasions private numbers were used, and it was discovered that in the first incident, the cellular phone of the high ranking officer was used to make the anonymous call.
The nature of the discovery warranted an intervention at the highest possible level, due to the involvement of such a senior officer.
Additionally, it was uncertain who else is involved in the conspiracy of the theft of the weapons, and the attempt to recover them in a piecemeal fashion after a seemingly failed plot.
Kaieteur News understands that a series of high level meetings were called by the political directorate, and a decision is pending.
According to the source, as investigation continues, more evidence is being discovered, and the possible involvement of another high level GDF officer has not been ruled out.
In fact, the source said, there is presently unfolding evidence to suggest the direct involvement of the other high ranking officer.
The source said that it was found that information and intelligence were supplied through a controlled source to focus investigators in a given direction.
The source explained that as part of the counter-move by the GDF Administration, information was purposely leaked to the media last Tuesday, stating that the army's top brass was dissatisfied with the investigative team's effort in recovering the remaining missing weapons, and as a result there will be a major shake up.
“For the Joint Services, this is highly unusual, since any investigating body of this nature is (based on special selection) highly guarded as a matter of national and organisational interest,” the source explained.
The source said that the breaking up of the investigating team was designed to facilitate the removal of certain personnel and replace them with those who can be manipulated, since the investigation was beginning to unravel the mysterious disappearance of the weapons and identify the perpetrators.
He said that as a strategy, a press release was done debunking the claims - even though the changes will be effected soon.
Kaieteur News was reliably informed that it is expected that the decision to be taken by the political directorate will be for the high ranking officer, who is accused of interfering with the investigation, to be sent on leave or interdicted pending a full investigation.
A decision is still to be made on the other top level GDF official.
Efforts by this newspaper to contact Chief-of-Staff Eddie Collins yesterday were unsuccessful.
In February last year, the army discovered that 33 AK-47s and five pistols were missing from its bond at GDF headquarters.
Several ranks, including a warrant officer, were placed under close arrest and an investigation was launched.
Personnel from the US Federal Bureau of Investigations were called in to assist with the investigations.
Massive searches were carried out on several properties in the city and beyond without success.
Bulletins were also issued for a number of persons who the investigators felt could provide vital information. This, too, proved unsuccessful.
The first of the stolen weapons was recovered in a clump of bushes on the Railway Embankment separating Melanie Damishana and Enterprise, on the East Coast of Demerara.
Seven more of the weapons were recovered from bandits, who staged a daring robbery on two commercial banks in Rose Hall Town, Berbice.
One was found on wanted man Ceyon Collier, and another in the possession of former
Buxton gang-member Anthony Charles, called Kussum, who was shot dead in Bachelor's Adventure during a shootout with members of the Joint Services.
Another weapon was recovered from a dead bandit who was part of gang that raided two houses in Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara.