‘Fine Man’ gang reportedly involved in
HIJACKING DRAMA ON JUNGLE TRAIL
- Two gunmen killed
- Two AK-47 rifles, ammunition recovered
JOINT Services ranks yesterday managed to capture presumably the youngest member of the Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins criminal gang - a 14-year-old boy who has since confessed to investigators that he is part of the notorious criminal network led by ‘Fine Man’.

The teenager, who reportedly told investigators his name was ‘Dwane’, was captured in the interior by Joint Services ranks closing-in on the heavily armed and dangerous gang of fugitives.

Sources close to the operation told this newspaper the teenager admitted being part of the fugitive gang, although he has so-far denied ever seeing ‘Fine Man’ in person.

And the Joint Services last night confirmed that two gunmen were shot and killed by ranks during an exchange of gunfire in the Goat Farm area, Berbice River.

The joint services, in a statement last night, said: “Ranks of a Joint Services team encountered two armed men in the Goat Farm area, Berbice River, between Aroima and Kwakwani.

“There was an exchange of gunfire during which the two men were shot and killed. Two AK47 rifles and a quantity of ammunition have been recovered.”

It is not clear whether the two gunmen were part of the Rawlins’ gang, or whether there is any links.

The Joint Services said they are working on information that others are in the area and are combing the area in pursuit at this time.

Meanwhile, following his capture in the interior yesterday, the teenager was grilled by Joint Services ranks there before being flown to the City under security escort last night.

Up to press time last night, the teenager was said to be under tight security undergoing intense questioning.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that the teenager was arrested along a trail a few miles from Kwakwani.

He was arrested hours after a reported hijacking incident in the interior, believed to have been carried out by armed members of the Rawlins’ gang.

‘Fine Man’ is Guyana’s most wanted criminal, with a $50M bounty on his head since the Lusignan massacre in January this year.

CONFESSED:
The teenager, who reportedly confessed that he hails from the troubled and violence-prone village of Buxton, East Coast Demerara has since confessed to being a part of the notorious criminal gang headed by Rawlins.

He reportedly gave the names of other members in the gang who were hiding out in the jungle.

The teenager also told investigators that when they encountered the Joint Services team two Friday’s ago in the dense jungle, some 300 miles up the Berbice River, the gang split-up and managed to elude the security dragnet set-up to capture them.

Security officials have been tight-lipped yesterday with information on the incident hard to come by, even as rumours circulated that ‘Fine Man’ lieutenants were shot in an encounter with the joint services.

HIJACKING:
In a brief statement yesterday, the Police confirmed the hijacking incident, noting it received a report that at about 04:30 hrs yesterday morning, “a number of armed men stopped a mini-bus which was en-route from Aroima to Linden in the Aroima Trail.”

“The armed men robbed the passengers, the exact items are yet to be ascertained, after which they took the passengers out of the vehicle and ordered the driver to take them to an unknown destination,” the Police said.

According to the Police, the driver was later released.

“Subsequent upon information received, the police arrested a male of African descent at Ituni, Upper Demerara. He is alleged to be a member of the notorious Rondel Rawlins called ‘Fine Man’ gang which had been intercepted by the Joint Services on Friday, June 6, 2008, at Christmas Falls, Berbice River,” the Police release said.

“He is currently in custody and investigations are continuing,” the release added.

CLOSING-IN
The Joint Service, in a press release two Saturdays ago, said that following the recent arrest of a number of persons and diligent interrogations and enquiries, about 07:00 h the previous day (Friday), a patrol in the Christmas Falls area, about 300 miles up the Berbice River, came upon a camp with a gang of about six persons.

The patrol immediately came under fire and fired back, killing one of the gang members who was since identified as ‘Mud Up’.

The other gang members, including ‘Fine Man’; Richard Ramcharran called ‘Uncle Willie’; ‘Magic’; and ‘Chung Boy’; among others, escaped down a slope and disappeared into the jungle.

Trails of blood found suggest that others were injured.

The gang members were housed in a location with four buildings in a desolate area in the jungle, with food to last several weeks in a large kitchen, along with a gas stove, generator and a solar energy apparatus.

In addition, there were six portable tents, four hammocks, three mattresses, a mini-stereo system, a DVD player, a cell phone, a hand-held radio set, items of clothing, medical supplies and a Bible, all of which were abandoned by the gang.

The fleeing gunmen left behind a cache of arms and ammunition: Three FN Rifles, four shotguns, one .32 revolver, two AK 47 magazines, seven FN Rifle magazines, along with 1,159 rounds of 7.62 x 39 ammunition, 143 rounds of 7.62 x 51 ammunition, 10 rounds .38 ammunition, one round .32 ammunition and thirty six 12 gauge cartridges were found.

The Joint Services ranks also unearthed a diary which provided incontrovertible evidence of Rondell Rawlins planning and executing of the killings at Lusignan and Bartica, and a number of telephone numbers.

Further, checks done have confirmed that the three FN Rifles found were stolen from the Bartica Police Station during the armed attack on that community on February 17, 2008; and the .32 revolver and two of the shotguns have been identified as belonging to miner Chunilall Babulall whose home at First Avenue, Bartica was attacked and robbed during that incident.