See full statement from the Guyana Police Force:
Police are investigating the alleged drowning of Shamar Roberts, called ‘Ten Pound’, a 22-year-old Miner of Lot 104 Melanie North, ECD, which occurred at about 09:00 hrs today at St. Elizabeth Backdam, Potaro, in Region #8.
Enquiries revealed that Roberts had worked for about one month as a pitman at the Backdam mentioned above on a mining operation.
According to Akeem Maddison, a 26-year-old co-worker, on the mentioned date and time, he and Roberts rolled down a blue drum containing fuel into an old mining pit which contained water to float across to their mining operation.
Both individuals got into the pit and began to cross. In the middle of the pit, Maddison said he saw Roberts move off from the drum and take a different direction while struggling to stay above water. Maddison said he immediately tried to reach him, but Roberts became submerged under the water.
An alarm was raised, and a search team gathered to look for Roberts. At about 14:20 hrs, Roberts’ motionless body was found and fished out of the pit.
A Detective examined the body, and no mark of violence was seen on the exposed parts of his body — and no suspected foul play.
The body was escorted to Mahdia District Hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival by Doctor Jeffers. The body is at the Mahdia Hospital’s Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
