Family breaks silence on botched SOCU operation

– says GDF Sergeant was on vacation when summoned

Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Robert Pyle was actually on vacation when he was called out to duty to participate in the special covert operation that went totally wrong and ended with him and his wife dying tragically in an accident that should have never occurred.

The GDF Sergeant was approximately five days into his two-week holiday break when he was unexpectedly called out by his superiors.

During an interview with Guyana Times, Pyle’s brother, Roger, expressed that it was extremely unfortunate how the happily married couple and the civilian Canter truck driver lost their lives.

On December 30, Roger said his brother was at home enjoying some quality time with his family when he received a call telling him to report to base. Roger said when his brother was about halfway to his destination, he received another call informing him that the operation had been cancelled. Roger is uncertain of what transpired next.

“To be honest, we don’t know exactly what transpired at the time of the accident…to my knowledge, apparently when they cancel the operation, he went to pick up his wife and so what happened is when he coming up back, they buzzed him and say the operation was back on and so he turned around,” Roger said, noting that he was sure his brother would have objected to his wife being in the car with him if he was aware of the dangers of the operation.

Roger said family members were still confused about what exactly happened on the night in question; however, the relevant authorities were not forthcoming with any information surrounding the incident.
“They need to come forward,” Roger stated.

Asked whether the family wanted a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) to be launched into the circumstances surrounding the failed operation, Roger was uncertain of the family’s desires.

“At this point in time, I don’t know. Probably after his funeral (Wednesday), we’ll think about it,” he stated, noting that at present the family was just focusing on trying to “keep it together”.

Guyana Times understands that Sergeant Pyle was assisting the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) on a surveillance operation on National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Head Winston Brassington, who is on leave.

Reports indicate that directives were given for the GDF Sergeant to keep watch on Brassington’s teenage children and at no point was an order given to get involved in a high-speed chase.

On the night in question, the special team reportedly staked out and eventually hunted down the wife and brother-in-law of People’s Progressive Party/Civic parliamentarian Attorney Charles Ramson Jr. Reports suggest that the special team thought the pair to be Brassington’s children.

In a case of mistaken identity, the special team approached the pair, but failed to properly identify themselves in the process.

Their approach triggered fear within the two civilians who attempted to flee the scene. This led to a high-speed chase which took a turn for the worse on Carifesta Avenue, resulting in the death of GDF Sergeant Pyle; his wife, Stacy and a Canter driver, Linden Eastman who unfortunately was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sergeant Pyle and his wife were parents to two young children, one of whom recently celebrated his sixth birthday.

His mother-in-law is completely devastated and still cannot come to grips with the stark reality that her only daughter is gone.

Meanwhile, the two traumatised civilians, who were being wrongfully chased, also broke their silence on the situation and related the horrifying experience they endured.

Alana Seebarran explained that she and her brother were beyond fearful for their lives. She related that the men were suspiciously lingering outside her home and when they approached her and her brother, the siblings became apprehensive.

Seebarran said that the men did not show proof of identification nor were they in uniform, which was cause for concern. When her brother made attempts to drive off, the men repeatedly blocked their path.

The siblings then became fearful for their lives and eventually managed to escape with the intention of going to the Kitty Police Station to make a report as was suggested by their father. The men followed in a high-speed chase which took a turn onto Carifesta Avenue when the accident occurred.