Weeks after RSS team arrives to help solve West Berbice murders

A five-member team of Investigators from the Regional Security System, (RSS) arrived in Guyana on Monday to assist the Guyana Police Force with investigations into the recent murders of Joel Henry, Isiah Henry and Haresh Singh that occurred in the Villages of Cotton Tree and No. 3 on the West Coast of Berbice.

The team which is led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police comprises Officials from countries within the Regional Investigative Management Systems (RIMS), the Guyana Police Force said in a release. Their visit is as a result of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Guyana and The Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) consequent upon a decision by President Dr. Irfaan Ali to seek Regional assistance with the investigations.

The Regional Law Enforcement Officials were met on arrival at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, by Commissioner of Police (acting) Mr. Nigel Hoppie, D.S.M, Crime Chief Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum and ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department, Major Crimes Investigations Unit (M.C.I.U) where the Commissioner welcomed them to Guyana and assured them of the Guyana Police Force’s commitment to make available all the necessary resources to facilitate a conducive environment for their work.

In a statement two weeks ago police had said that a total of 75 ranks drawn from Region 5, the Major Crimes Unit from CID Headquarters and the Guyana Defence Force led by Region 5 Divisional Commander and a Lt Colonel, and accompanied by Dr. Nehaul Singh, conducted a methodical search  in the back lands of Nos 2 and 3 Villages recently for anything of evidential value to the investigation, but came up empty-handed. Ranks on the ground also received aerial support via a helicopter from the Guyana Defence Force.  However, nothing of evidential value was found.

Autopsies of the bodies of the two Henry cousins, revealed that the teens were brutally tortured before they died. Lawyer for the cousins, Nigel Hughes had said that Joel received 18 wounds across his body, seven to eight chops to head, and defensive wounds in both palms from a sharp object. It was concluded from those injuries, the 19-year-old fell to the ground, then he received a chop to his back that severed his spine. That chop was 14 inches x 3 and 6 inches deep.

There was also evidence that he bit his tongue, and his throat slit. In relation to 16-year-old, Isiah his spine was also severed. His wound was 14 inches long, 4 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Isaiah received several chops to his head, and his throat too was slit, almost to sever his head from his neck.