Rupununi labourer found dead hours after celebrating 18th birthday

-cops, residents differ on possible cause of death

A teen’s celebration of his 18th birthday ended tragically when his bloodied body was found on a road, hours after he left a bar in Aranaputa, Region Nine.

The discovery of the body of Robert Francis has shocked the entire village as residents point fingers at a Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) vehicle which they believe ran over the young man. The occupants of that vehicle have since denied any involvement and police have indicated that they suspect that Francis was the victim of a brawl.

Contacted by Stabroek News, Region Nine Police Commander, Superintendent Keithon King, said, “When he was brought to the hospital, there was a wound to his head that would have indicated that he was involved in a fight or that it could have been a hit and run...”

King further said that the vehicle in question has since been lodged and examined and statements have been taken from the three men said to have been travelling in the vehicle. They have denied any involvement in the death of the teen.

Francis, also known as ‘Dellon’, of Rupertee Village, was in high spirits on Saturday as it was his birthday and he took the celebration to a local bar where he was seen imbibing way into the night. He left the bar shortly after midnight and his body was later discovered about 400 metres from the bar.

On Saturday, the teen had collected his pay from his employer, then headed across to the nearby bar, which is owned by the brother of his employer. It was related to this newspaper that Francis and his family were staying on his employer’s farm at the time as they were employed as labourers since it was peanut harvesting time.

The man’s employer, who asked to remain anonymous, explained that early yesterday morning, he was awoken by the driver of a canter, who was on his way to Georgetown, and was informed that Francis was lying in a pool of blood on the road.

“I immediately got up and rushed to the scene and saw him lying in a pool of blood. When we looked at him, we figured he was dead. I called the police who said they didn’t have transportation at the time so I went and picked them and the nurse up who pronounced him dead. After closer inspection, the nurse said that it look like the man was run over by a vehicle,” the employer said.

It was further noted by the employer that other residents claim to have seen a GGMC vehicle at the same bar that night, where its driver, a police constable and another passenger of the vehicle were also drinking. Residents allege that the GGMC land cruiser left at around the same time that Francis left and was heard speeding along the road.

Another resident said that it is not often that vehicles traverse the area and at that time of the night, and therefore, they believe that it is possible that the drunken teen may have fallen asleep on the road or walked into the path of the speeding land cruiser.

Ranks from the Annai Police Station has since launched an investigation and their move to use the same land cruiser suspected of being involved in the incident did not sit well with the residents.

When the vehicle approached, residents used their torchlights in an attempt to examine the vehicle but their actions were thwarted by a corporal, who instructed that the residents desist and reached for his gun in the process.

The police left with the body and reportedly told the residents that the teen may have been the victim of a brawl.

Francis’ body is currently at the Lethem Hospital mortuary awaiting a post mortem examination, which is expected to be done this afternoon. Investigations are continuing.