Protest erupts again at WCB over Henry boys’ murder investigation

Quick action by law enforcement officers averted what could have erupted into a full-scale riot on the West Coast of Berbice Saturday as enraged residents blocked the roads in protest over the slothful pace of investigations into the murders of Isaiah and Joel Henry. This marks the third time villagers from the area have engaged in protest over the violent crime.

According to a release from the police, at 1:45 pm reports were received of the public road running through No. 5 village being blocked. Ranks immediately responded, confirming the blockage. From images seen, tyres and other debris were placed across the main passage way and set alight, temporarily halting the flow of traffic. “At this time, the ranks have managed to partially extinguish the fire and clear the roadway, allowing traffic to flow again,” the police said. Up to press time, officers were still on the ground to clear the remainder of the roadway. No arrests have been made so far. Concerns continue to be raised at the silence of the Guyana Police Force on the status of investigations. Only recently, the Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie informed the media that “new leads” were being pursued when asked about progress being made.No further update was released. The Force is still awaiting the detailed report from the fivemember Regional Security System (RSS) team who provided assistance to investigators with their probe. Additionally, investigators are expected to receive another boost in their investigations with the impending arrival of the Argentine Team of Forensic Anthropology (Equipo Argentino de Antropologia ForensicaEAAF). According to published reports, the teams’ arrival, originally due earlier this week, was delayed due to the COVID-19. That team should consist of a forensic pathologist, a forensic anthropologist and a forensic radiologist and will also bring along with them the equipment they need. The mutilated bodies of Joel and Isaiah Henry were found back on September 6, in clumps of bushes near to a coconut estate located at Cotton Tree Backdam, West Coast Berbice, Region Five. Protests marred by violence had erupted over the news of their gruesome murder and days later, the body of another teen, Haresh Singh was found, lying in a patch of grass and bleeding from the nose at the Number Three Village backdam. Singh was later pronounced dead at a hospital and was identified as the grandson of one of the suspects, a rice farmer, who was in police custody at the time for the murder of the Henry boys. A brief round of protest had erupted a few weeks ago at the pace of investigations then. (Kaieteur News)