Govt. Pathologist testifies that he never conducted autopsy on Lindo Creek massacre victims

Dr. Singh recalled being replaced by an Indian national who was part of a team that was brought here to examine the bodies from Jamaica.

Govt. Pathologist testifies that he never conducted autopsy on Lindo Creek massacre victims

As the Commission of Inquiry into the 2008 Lindo Creek massacre continued today, Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh took the stand and testified that he never got the opportunity to perform autopsies on the remains of the eight miners who were shot and burnt to death.

Dr. Singh recalled being replaced by an Indian national who was part of a team that was brought here to examine the bodies from Jamaica.

Testifying before the Lindo Creek COI, Dr. Singh also said that although he was willing to work along with the team, he was never asked to do so.

Singh recalled the morning of June 24th 2008 when he received a call informing him of the deaths at Lindo Creek.

He said he was flown into Kwakwani where he met senior Police and Army officials and was escorted using a helicopter, to an area close to scene of the massacre.

Dr. Singh said the terrain was rough and after about one hour and fifteen minutes of walking, he could not continue the journey.

He said other members of his crew went to the location where the remains were and returned with pictures, which they showed to him.

Mr. Singh told the Commission that the team returned to the city where he went to the Prime Minister’s residence to brief the political directorate.

The pathologist testified that he was told by the Police that they would clear a patch close to the bodies so that the team can return by helicopter to examine the bodies but Dr. Singh said the bodies were flown out two days later.

According to Dr. Singh,  he received a call from then Commissioner Henry Green informing him that the team from Jamaica would be in Guyana to examine the bodies.

That team arrived the following Tuesday and Dr. Singh said he never heard from the Police on this matter or saw any report from the examination.

He was shown the Coroner’s Order where his name was scratched out and replaced with that of the Indian national during.

The Commission said it has not received any post mortem report.

Although the remains were stored for four years, Dr. Singh said he never got an opportunity to view or examine them.

CoI Chairman, Justice Donald Trotman said he couldnt understand why foreigners were brought in when there was someone highly skilled as Dr. Singh.

Singh said too that he had generally advised that the remains be stored at the public mortuary but that suggestion fell on deaf ears.

He said too that he recommended that a mausoleum be built where the remains could be placed, offering closure to the relatives, but that advice was also ignored and the remains were all buried together without the knowledge of the relatives.

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