Guyana Anti Corruption Network

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Exclusive: GACN Names David Benjamin, Anthony Abbsents in Marudi Mountain Assault Video; Brother of Labour Minister Among Accused

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Guyana Anti-Corruption Network (GACN) has released photographic and video evidence of a brutal assault in the Marudi Mountain region, identifying three individuals allegedly involved. Alongside politically connected businessman Vevakanand Dalip, the organization named David Benjamin and Anthony Abbsents as participants in the attack.

New information obtained by this publication reveals that David Benjamin is the brother of Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, and both Benjamin and Abbsents are described as armed enforcers for Dalip, operating with impunity in the mining region. The revelations have intensified calls for international intervention, citing widespread violations of indigenous rights, environmental laws, and Guyanese mining regulations.

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The Assault: Documented Violence

According to the GACN’s March 27, 2026, appeal, photographic and video evidence shows:

· A young man being beaten while David Benjamin holds him down.
· Anthony Abbsents actively participating in the assault.
· Vevakanand Dalip standing nearby, watching.
· Armed individuals in the vicinity, indicating the violence was backed by lethal force.

The GACN states the evidence “transforms the situation from allegations of brutality into documented proof of violent criminal conduct.”

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Profiles of the Accused

Vevakanand Dalip: Debarred Contractor and Political Boss

Dalip and his company were debarred by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) until 2030 for collusive practices—a sanction cross-enforced by the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and others. Despite this, he continues to operate in Region Nine, reportedly controlling illegal mining operations and functioning as the de facto People’s Progressive Party (PPP) boss in the region.

David Benjamin: Minister’s Brother and Alleged Enforcer

Sources familiar with the region identify David Benjamin as a trusted Dalip henchman, typically armed, and a member of the PPP’s 2025 election machine in Region Nine. His brother, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton, has oversight of labour conditions in Guyana’s mining sector.

Despite repeated reports of forced labour, unsafe working conditions, and exploitation in Marudi Mountain, the Ministry of Labour has taken no known enforcement action. Critics say the familial connection explains the government’s failure to investigate.

Anthony Abbsents: Armed Associate

Anthony Abbsents is described as another armed associate of Dalip, also active in PPP political operations in Region Nine. Both men are alleged to have participated in the documented assault and other acts of intimidation against local residents and workers.

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Legal Violations: A Web of Criminality

The activities documented by GACN and sources on the ground amount to numerous violations of Guyanese and international law.

Under Guyana’s Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Cap 8:01, the documented assault constitutes assault causing actual bodily harm, while the reported abductions of Indigenous men amount to false imprisonment and kidnapping. The presence of armed individuals without legal authorization violates the Firearms Act, Cap 16:05, which strictly regulates the possession and carrying of guns.

With respect to mining and environmental offences, the Mining Act, Cap 65:01 prohibits mining without a valid license, and the Environmental Protection Act, Cap 20:05 criminalizes the illegal use of mercury and requires environmental permits and rehabilitation plans—none of which appear to exist for the operations in Marudi Mountain. The widespread mercury pollution documented in the region represents a serious breach of environmental law.

Labour and anti‑corruption violations are equally severe. Allegations of forced labour and debt bondage constitute trafficking in persons under the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, contradicting Guyana’s obligations under ILO Convention 29 on forced labour. Furthermore, awarding public contracts to Dalip despite his cross‑debarment by the IDB and World Bank violates the Procurement Act, Cap 73:05, and represents fraud against the state.

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Indigenous Rights Abuses

The GACN’s investigation links the violence in Marudi Mountain to a transnational criminal network led by Rodrigo Martins de Mello (“Rodrigo Cataratas”) , a Brazilian national sentenced to 22 years for crimes against the Yanomami Indigenous people in Brazil. Cataratas is reportedly establishing a US$10 million mining operation in the same area.

In Marudi Mountain, sources report:

· Night raids on Indigenous villages by armed men, including private security and uniformed police.
· Extrajudicial detention of Indigenous men inside Cataratas’s private mining camp.
· Torture and forced labor of detainees, who are beaten, starved, and forced to work under armed guard.
· Intimidation campaigns labeling any complainant a “spy” and evicting them from the area.

These practices violate the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) , the American Convention on Human Rights, and Guyana’s own Amerindian Act.

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Environmental Degradation

Illegal mining operations in Marudi Mountain have caused severe environmental destruction. Mercury used in gold extraction has contaminated waterways, poisoning fish and water sources essential for Indigenous communities. Uncontrolled mining has also led to widespread deforestation, habitat loss, soil erosion, and siltation of rivers, affecting both agriculture and water supply. The absence of environmental permits or rehabilitation plans further compounds the damage, leaving the area with no legal pathway for restoration.

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International Appeal: Call for Action

Human rights organizations, Indigenous leaders, and anti-corruption advocates are now urging the international community to intervene. The GACN has issued an urgent appeal to:

· Diplomatic Missions (US, UK, Canada, EU, Brazil) – Demand an immediate investigation into Dalip, Benjamin, and Abbsents; impose targeted Magnitsky-style sanctions; and coordinate with Brazil on Cataratas’s presence in Guyana.
· Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) – Grant urgent precautionary measures for Indigenous communities; deploy an independent fact-finding mission to Marudi Mountain.
· International Financial Institutions (IDB, World Bank) – Declare Guyana non-compliant with anti-corruption conditionalities and suspend financing for projects in Region Nine pending a full audit.
· UN Human Rights Mechanisms – Initiate a thematic hearing on the protection of Indigenous peoples in Guyana’s mining frontier.

“The international community cannot claim to support the rule of law, Indigenous rights, or anti-corruption while remaining silent as these abuses unfold,” the GACN stated. “The evidence is before you. The time for action is now.”

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Government Silence

At the time of publication, Minister of Labour Joseph Hamilton had not responded to requests for comment regarding his brother’s alleged involvement in the assault and the ministry’s failure to act on labour abuses in Marudi Mountain. The PPP and the Guyana Police Force have also not issued statements.