Police compiles data of criminal culpability in Region 8 mining accident

Last Updated on Thursday, 28 May 2015, 15:58 by GxMedia

by Zena Henry

The police are left to interview at least five of seven survivors who escaped death when a wall of debris came crashing down at a mining site at Pepper Creek, Konawaruk,, killing some 10 workers.

Commander of ‘F’ Division Courtney Ramsey told Demerara Waves Thursday May 28, that many of the workers who survived the horrific tragedy “were very traumatized” and were unable to give statements about what had occurred on that fateful day of May 17, 2015.

Ramsey said that the police are currently compiling pieces of information to hand over to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to determine whether those responsible for the camp are criminally culpable. “When we have matters like these we treat it as an unnatural death. And we must go through the process of compiling information to submit to the DPP,” Ramsey explained.

He was unable to say how soon the file would be ready to be sent the DPP, but expected that the five survivors would be interviewed soon enough.

In the meantime, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) is said to be investigating the safety of the mining operations which was being conducted by Imran Khan.

The GGMC and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) have pointed to High Court injunction, restricting the GGMC’s inspectors from visiting the mining site which made it difficult for the mining oversight body to keep an eye on his operation.

Khan has however refused responsibility for the accident telling media persons that the debris that caved in was waste material left there by a previous miner.

Those dead are General Manager Leyland Jones, 38, of Grove, East Bank Demerara, Jason Trotman, 21; of Samatta Point, Grove Housing Scheme; Bobby Brittlebank of 98 Wisrock Housing Scheme, Linden; Sheldon and Orlando Clario; Desmond Martins; Trevon Phillips and Nanmore Kurt; Raymond August of 229 Bent Street, Dartmouth, Essequibo and Michael Gardner of Better Hope, ECD.

At least six other persons were said to be injured in the gold mining accident.