A 22-year-old miner was formally charged with murder on Friday after a violent altercation in a remote backdam area resulted in the death of a fellow miner earlier this week.

The accused, identified as Kevin Adams of Bartica, appeared before Magistrate Lisa George at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court. He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge, which alleges that on May 13, 2025, at the Five Miles Backdam, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, he unlawfully killed 28-year-old Michael Joseph during a heated confrontation.

According to police reports, the deadly incident unfolded late Tuesday night when an argument between the two men quickly escalated. Witnesses say the dispute began over a missing quantity of raw gold. Tempers flared, and Adams allegedly armed himself with a cutlass, striking Joseph multiple times. Despite efforts by other miners to intervene, Joseph succumbed to his injuries before help could arrive.

Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene early Wednesday morning after being alerted by other workers in the area. Adams was apprehended without incident and later confessed to the attack during questioning, authorities said.

The tragic event has sent shockwaves through the close-knit mining community, where disputes over gold and resources are not uncommon but rarely turn fatal. Fellow miners described both men as hard workers but noted that tensions in the backdam often run high due to the challenging conditions and high stakes involved.

Adams has been remanded to prison and is scheduled to return to court on June 10, when the case will be called for a police progress report. Meanwhile, investigators continue to gather statements from witnesses and examine the circumstances leading up to the fatal altercation.

The incident has reignited calls from community leaders and industry officials for better conflict resolution mechanisms and increased security in mining areas, as the sector continues to grapple with violence and lawlessness in remote regions.