APNU promises to dig up extrajudicial killings including gunned down PPP minister

Last Updated on Sunday, 3 August 2025, 11:02 by Writer

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) vice presidential candidate, Ganesh Mahipaul on Saturday pledged to set up a special mechanism to investigate unsolved murders including the fatal shooting of former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) agriculture minister Satyadeow Sawh.

“When we take office, we will have a special office set up so that those families can come, register their complaint, tell us their story and we will bring justice to the families,” he said. Vowing that “we must deliver justice” to the mourning families including that of Sawh.

Sawh, his brother and sister were shot dead during the pre-dawn hours of April 22, 2006 shortly after they had returned to their La Bonne Intention (LBI), East Coast Demerara residence from a function.

In 2023, his son, Roger Sawh had issued yet another appeal of the family for a proper probe to be conducted into the gunning down of Sawh who had served as Ambassador to Venezuela and the United States. “Indefatigably, the family of the late Satyadeow Sawh marks seventeen years since the brutal demise of our beloved father and relatives. Incredibly, so much time has precipitated so little action for an event that was so very devastating to so many people. Ineffectually, theories (ranging from the silly to the sinister) have been proffered; each, however, lacks meaningful evidence. Insistently, our family agitates for more to be done to get to the bottom of what happened. We unapologetically just want to know ‘why?’. Invariably, the light banishes the darkness. Inevitably, the truth must emerge. In loving memory, we keep the faith,” Roger Sawh had said then.

One theory that had been bandied about was that gang members had been hired to kill Sawh because, as the then minister responsible for forestry, he had objected to Kaow Island being possessed by Aurelius Inc, a company whose principal had been now convicted drug lord, Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan.

In 2016, then President of Guyana David Granger had publicly promised a probe into the violent crime spree that had spanned February 2002 with the escape of five prisoners from the Georgetown Prison to 2008 when the last remaining gang member, Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins was killed by security forces. That period had included two massacres at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara and Bartica, Essequibo River.

During that period, there had been several killings, disappearances, robberies, ransom demands and kidnappings. Among those kidnapped and subsequently released had been then Regional Security Officer of the US Embassy Steven Lesniak while he was the Lusignan Golf Course. Several Trinidadian water utility workers, who were on duty at a government project in Annandale, had also been kidnapped and later released.

In opposition and government, Bharrat Jagdeo had promised to hold a commission of inquiry but nothing was done. The PPP had often accused the People’s National Congress Reform and other opposition activists of backing the gangs.

Several members of the security forces were also gunned down in the line of duty by the gang members, many of whom had been given safe-haven in Buxton, East Coast Demerara. At that time, more than 30 rifles and handguns had been stolen from the Guyana Defence Force armoury.