Escape of missing soldiers took place from nightspot -sources
Stabroek News
September 15, 2002
For the first time since the disappearance of four soldiers under guard earlier this month, army sources yesterday disclosed how the men left the confines of their detention at Base Camp Ayangana.
Stabroek News understands that the lance corporal, mandated to guard the men, allegedly escorted them out of Camp Ayanganna on the night of September 3, to "hang" at a nightspot in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
Well placed sources said while there, the ranks each excused themselves from their guard and did not return until this past week. One of the four ranks is still absent.
In a release yesterday, the army explained the circumstance surrounding the return of two of the three ranks.
According to the statement, Able Rating Dellon Daniels returned to Ayangana at 1930 hours on Wednesday, while accompanied by his uncle. Daniels told his superiors: "I wanted to return to face the consequences of my wrongdoing, but I did not have the courage to do so. But my uncle who is a Sergeant and a boxing coach in the army encourage me to return."
Two days later, on Friday, at about 1700 hours, Private Colin Benjamin, too, returned to Base Camp Ayangana. He claimed that he had been working on a dredge in Port Kaituma for several days.
"He also said that his uncle, who is in charge of one of the dredges in the area, advised him to return to the army. His uncle had heard about the soldiers who had left the compound without detection after being held for questioning about the missing rifles at the Coast Guard, and enquired if he was one of them. After confessing to the uncle that he was, Mr Winston Benjamin encouraged his nephew to return to Base Camp Ayangana," the army release stated.
Last Sunday, Private Kwesi Ward returned in the company of his mother and a concerned relative, after a Warrant Officer had advised him to do so.
The three soldiers who have so far returned to army headquarters, along with Private Ally, who is still at large, had left the compound on September 4, without permission.
The army maintained that they were not involved in the theft and sale of the AK47 and M70 rifles that were allegedly sold to Mohamed Shaharudin, a Berbice businessman and Rabindranauth Persaud of 7 Dowding Street, Kitty.
"They were being held for questioning into the attempted theft of two other rifles from Coast Guard. The lance corporal that was responsible for their security remains under close arrest and will be severely disciplined shortly."
Meanwhile, the three soldiers who are directly linked to the theft and sale of the AK47 and M70 rifles are still under close arrest and will be used by the civilian prosecutors as state witnesses against Shaharudin and Persaud.
Since the attempted theft and the loss of the two weapons the GDF said it has enforced strict adherence to all Standing Operation Procedures, and anyone who contravenes these regulations will be severely disciplined.