LEONARD ARCHIBALD, the 13-year-old boy who went missing just under a week ago, was reportedly raped and then dumped into a canal where he drowned, two suspects of the crime told police investigators on Friday.
Investigators in Berbice are presently combing sections of the Berbice River, hoping to recover the body of the lad who was reported missing Sunday last. Following the report of the missing teen, police had detained two suspects earlier in the week and after intense grilling one of them confessed to committing the crime .
According to Crime Chief (ag), Paul Williams, one of the suspects has confessed to sodomising the lad and throwing him overboard after he reportedly fainted from the trauma of the act. This led police to comb the river in the vicinity of the suspect’s home where the act was reportedly committed.

During the search, ranks were able to recover the teen’s bicycle next to the Berbice River, aback the suspect’s home in Brothers Village, on the East Bank of Berbice. According to information, the men aged 28 and 18, are allegedly known ‘child predators’ in the area, and would often lure children to areas and sexually assault them. A source close to the investigation told the Guyana Chronicle , that based on the confession of the suspects there is a very high possibility the teen was still alive when thrown overboard.
“He said the teen “passed out” while they were sodimising him and they just decided to get rid of him by throwing him in the river, he (the suspect) said they took turns raping him,” the source disclosed.

Archibald was last seen on Sunday evening, riding his bicycle along the Brother’s Public Road with only a pair of trousers, to collect his three sisters who were at a birthday party at a nearby village. According to information, the teen collected his sisters and was accompanying them home when he told them he was riding ahead and they will meet up at home. However, when the girls arrived home, the Overwinning Primary school teen was not there and a search was conducted but he was nowhere to be found.

A man is in custody assisting with investigations into the death of his wife, who died four days after she was allegedly beaten.
Dead is Janette Tahal, 58, of Smithfield, New Amsterdam. Tahal died at the Georgetown Hospital on Thursday.
Reports are that the now dead woman and her 60-year-old husband had an argument on Sunday at their Lot 95 Smithfield home when he allegedly lashed her with a piece of wood several times. In a semi-conscious state, the woman was picked by a friend who was visiting the home, and taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where she was stabilized and transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The couple was involved in mobile vegetable vending, and, according to neighbours, had had frequent fights.
On Tuesday, Police arrested her husband as he was on his way to the Georgetown Hospital. On Friday, Police were granted permission by the High Court to further detain him as the investigation continues.
Tahal has reportedly been cooperating with the Police. (Andrew Carmichael)

– as offered $500,000 reward bears fruit

The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) on Thursday commended public spirited citizens and members of the law enforcement agencies for apprehending a person reported for their cable theft.

The arrest followed closely on the heels of an offered reward of $500,000 for information leading to the apprehension of the perpetrator.

Only last week, (on September 12 and 13) 300 metres of cable were stolen at New Hope and Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara respectively. After the cable was cut and removed, more than 400 customers lost both voice and data services.

According to GTT in a release, within a day of that theft, information was received in response to the reward offer and led law enforcement officers to Pasha’s Scrap Yard in Albouystown where a purchaser of the stolen GTT cable was apprehended.

GTT CEO Justin Nedd was on Thursday in high praise of the swift response of the Guyana Police Force.

Nedd said, “While we remain disheartened by the continued acts of vandalism against our fibre infrastructure and theft of copper cable, we are heartened by the swift response of the Police once we had received the information.”

GTT and law enforcement officers, buoyed by this arrest, continue to hunt for the saboteurs of the fibre network, he said.

At a joint media conference with GTT at the Public Telecommunications Ministry in July, Minister Cathy Hughes had pledged Government’s support in apprehending persons who damage GTT infrastructure, pointing out that there were stiff provisions in the law, referencing Section 131 of the Criminal Law Offenses Act Chapter 8:01.

Nedd also said, “we are also very happy with the support we got from the Government, especially from the Ministers of Public Security, Business, and Public Telecommunications during this episode. The Government’s actions were in keeping with their commitments made in public.”

GTT announced the system of cash rewards at the July media conference in a push to ensure that “perpetrators of vandalism and theft are no longer able to undermine business and put citizens and public services at risk by bringing down the network for their own nefarious gain.”

An enforcement officer attached to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is a patient at a private medical institution after he was shot during a robbery early Saturday morning, and relieved of his service weapon.
According to reports, the 35-year-old victim returned home at about 04:30h, and was about to enter his Lot 403 Cactus Street, West Ruimveldt Georgetown residence when he was confronted by a lone gunman.
The suspect went on to relieve the victim of a pouch containing a service pistol along with seventeen live rounds. During the course of the robbery, the bandit shot the GRA officer to his lower abdomen before fleeing.
The injured man was subsequently rushed to the private medical institution, where he is still receiving treatment but is said to be in a stable condition.
Investigators have recovered a spent shell at the scene. Two males have since been arrested and are assisting with ongoing investigations.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar robbery last Sunday when another GRA employee was robbed of his firearm.
According to reports, the GRA employee was in company of some relatives standing on the Silver City Road in Linden, at sometime around 01:15h, when he was accosted by a male who relieved him of his service revolver and five rounds which he had in his waist in a holster.
The suspect then discharged several rounds in the direction of the victims, as he escaped. Luckily no one was injured. The GRA officer was detained to assist with the investigations.
However, the Police in Linden subsequently arrested the suspect, who was in possession of a firearm along with two spent shells and two live rounds of ammunition. He was arrested after shooting and injuring a 22-year-old security guard of Lower Kara Kara, Linden.

TWO MEN, one armed with a handgun and the other with a cutlass, robbed the Ikea Supermarket located at Lot 363, Success Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara, at around 10:00 hours on Saturday.
An employee of the supermarket told the Guyana Chronicle that two men, one of East Indian descent and the other of African descent, came into the supermarket around 09:00 hrs acting suspiciously.
“They were walking around and when I went up to them, they asked for light [bulbs] and then for Nestum,” the employee said. The Guyana Chronicle understands that the men who did not purchase either of the items left the supermarket soon after.

The employee further related that at around 10:00 hours, the men returned armed with a handgun and a cutlass and forced her, along with the three Chinese shop owners, into a corner of the supermarket, close to the cash register.
“They hold we and put we in the corner and tell we give them all the money,” she said.
One of the owners, Lin Lin (only name given) said that the robbers took $120,000 from the cash register along with his smartphone. The supermarket which has been in operation for two months, does not have security cameras installed.

Reports revealed that after robbing the supermarket, the men casually walked out onto the railway embankment and left the area. The supermarket has been in operation for about two months.

— after bandits pounce on family preparing for memorial service

By Alexis Rodney

PREPARATIONS for a one-year memorial service turned deadly for an East La Penitence, Georgetown family, early Sunday on morning, when bandits pounced upon them, killing a man and critically injuring his two brothers.
The Shaheed family of 194 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, Georgetown, was putting the final touches to preparations for the one-year memorial service for their father at around 00:40 hours on Sunday morning, when two bandits entered the home and shot the three brothers, killing one.

In a release, the Police said that they are investigating a robbery/murder committed earlier on Sunday, on Fazal Shaheed, 58, of 18 Albion, Corentyne Berbice; Talin Shaheed, 50, of Toronto, Canada; and Shalim Shaheed, 53, of the USA, by two masked men, one of whom was armed with a handgun,. The masked bandits carted off an undisclosed amount of jewellery.
Investigations revealed that the brothers along with their other siblings were preparing for a memorial service, when the bandits, by way of a door that was left opened, gained access into the house and pounced upon the victims, allegedly relieving them of their jewellery. They also discharged several rounds before fleeing the scene.
According to the police, several spent shells have been retrieved by investigators, who are currently working on several leads, in an effort to quickly bring the perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, a male suspect from the area has since been taken into custody and is assisting with the investigation, the police stated in the release.
Meanwhile, when Guyana Chronicle visited the home on Sunday, persons who should have been attending the memorial ceremony were present but instead they were offering comfort to the grieving family.

Speaking with this publication, another brother Raymond Shaheed who lives in Subryanville, said that for most of Saturday after uplifting some barrels shipped from overseas, family members were cooking sweet meats for the event and “making jokes”.
He explained that a number of his siblings, including the injured two, had travelled from the United States and Canada to celebrate the “year work” for their father.
He told the Guyana Chronicle that about 12:30 hrs on Sunday morning, he left his siblings and other family members and went home, but soon after arriving home his phone rang. “Raymond come now, they are killing us,” the visibly shaken man recalled his sister was shouting over the phone. He said he “broke all the traffic rules” to get to his family’s home, but by the time he got there they had already left for the police station and subsequently the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
“When I got there (the hospital), I forced my way into the room and when I got in I saw Fazal with something in his mouth, and he was too gruesome to recognise.” Fazal, he said, received four gunshot wounds one of which pierced his heart, “and I am sure that is the one that took him,” Raymond said.

He related that he then checked on another brother, Talim, who was shot in the shoulder, and observed that he was conscious, but visibly in severe pain. Raymond said that even though Talim has since been transferred to the medical ward of the hospital, he is still very concerned about his well-being because he had previously undergone a triple-bypass surgery.
Checking next on Shalim, the other brother who injured, Raymond said he observed that was shot three times about his body and that his condition looked critical. He said he was informed by a doctor that his brother had to undergo emergency surgery to repair his small intestine which was ruptured during the shooting.

Raymond recalled that when he and his wife were leaving to go to their home, his now deceased brother was outside “washing up” the utensils. Based on what was reported to him by his sister, the two men apparently scaled the fence and entered the house where the other two brothers were resting.
His elderly mother and his sisters were in the kitchen but did not notice the men until the shots were fired. It was at that point that Talim rushed from outside where he was washing to dishes the door, but was confronted by the bandits who shot him.

TWO men said to be in possession of a gun and live rounds were on Saturday evening apprehended by police ranks during a motorcycle patrol in Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Police on Sunday in a press statement said at about 20:00hrs Saturday evening, ranks on patrol in the Grove East Bank Village apprehended and searched two males who were observed acting in a suspicious manner.

During the search, a .38 revolver with six live rounds was found concealed on a 23 –year-old Wismar Linden suspect, while a .38 revolver without ammunition was found on his companion, a 19-year-old student of a training institution who resides at Block “Y”, Grove Housing Scheme, EBD.

Police said the men are being processed for court as investigations continue.

…hunting Guyhoc Park woman

The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) is on the hunt for a mother of one who attempted to ship four hammocks laced with cocaine to the United States of America.
Based on information received, the woman, Tiffini Collison, 26, of Lot F 21 Samaan Street, Guyhoc Park Georgetown, reportedly used an international courier service to ship the hammocks sometime last week.
However, on Thursday last, the package was intercepted by ranks of the drug enforcement unit at the Eugene F Correia International Airport during routine checks of cargo outgoing to the US.

CANU, in a statement, noted that several ranks have visited the home of the suspected cocaine shipper on several occasions, but was never able to locate her. In addition, she allegedly cannot be reached by close family members or friends.
The drug enforcement unit is asking anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect to contact them on telephone number 226-0431.

There have, in the past, been attempts to smuggle cocaine out of Guyana by the most creative and innovative ways.
Some attempted to do so in fish, achar, fish feed, milk powder, and in pastries among other means; and those attempts have resulted in several persons being charged, and either remanded to prison or sentenced and fined.
Following the interceptions, the drug enforcement unit has boosted its surveillance at Guyana’s main ports of entry, including the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, the Eugene F Correia International Airport, and the wharves.
With new measures in place, would-be cocaine traffickers are finding more creative ways to ship the narcotic out of Guyana — a country categorised as a major trans-shipment point.

A 36-year-old Brazilian dredge owner is dead following an attack by a gang of about eight men armed with rifles and handguns sometime between Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning at a mining camp located at Akaiwanna, Cuyuni, Region Seven.
According to police, the incident occurred sometime between 17:45 hrs Tuesday and 02:00 hrs Wednesday when the armed men who spoke a foreign language invaded the mining camp, bound the dredge owner, Antonio Da Silva and several of his workers after which they ransacked the camp.
Shortly after, the gang escorted the Brazilian national to his worksite where they removed an undisclosed amount of raw gold.
It was reportedly after they removed the raw gold, they took Da Silva some 500 metres away from the site and shot him several times about his body. Police said Da Silva’s body bore several wounds which have since been suspected to be gunshots.
The man’s body has since been taken to the Memorial Gardens Crematorium and is awaiting a post-mortem. A team of police officers has since been dispatched to the mining camp to investigate the murder.
Earlier this month, ranks of the Joint Services were dispatched to Five Star backdam in the North West District, following a robbery which resulted in a group of armed men suspected to be Venezuelans invading a mining camp at Five Star.
An 18-year-old man, Troy Joseph, of Falls Top mining area, located between Port Kaituma and Matthews Ridge, was shot to the leg.
There have been several reports which indicate that Venezuelan gunmen are committing robberies close to the mining areas at the border. In July this year, three Port Kaituma, North West District miners were killed following a robbery at a mining camp on Venezuela’s side of the border.
The men, Vernon Eudoxie, 63; Cologne Solomon, 23; an ex-policeman; and Samuel Moses, 19, were killed during the incident at a Brazilian-owned mining camp at an area known as “Imatake Backdam” across the Venezuela border.
Another man, Joel Paton, 19, of Supenaam, was injured and was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH).

…several ranks under close arrest

Several members of the Police Narcotics Branch are now under close arrest following the disappearance of close to two kilograms of cocaine from the Criminal

Investigations Department (CID), Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.
The cocaine was tendered as evidence against 31-year-old Travis Mendonca, who was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a trafficking in narcotics charge.
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has confirmed that an investigation was launched by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
He also told media operatives that the cocaine was discovered missing on Tuesday evening, but did not go into details. The acting Top Cop was reluctant to

divulge any additional information other than an investigation was underway.
<<<Guyana Times>>> understands that while the State won the case against Mendonca, investigations were ongoing to determine who else might have been involved in attempting to smuggle the illegal substance out of Guyana, since the Police had issued a wanted bulletin for another person.
Following the bust, Police had issued a wanted bulletin for 27-year-old Delvor Bunbury of Lot 37 Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara. His name was reportedly called during the investigation.
Bunbury was implicated in a similar incident back in March. He, along with another person, was charged for narco possession. A police officer, Louie Dublin, was also charged in connection with the matter.
Two Mondays ago, Police intercepted Mendonca, who was travelling to the United States. Police stated that during a search of the suitcase belonging to Mendonca, 1828 grams of cocaine was earthed.
The suspect, of Kara Kara, Linden and Ozone Park in Queens, New York, was taken into custody and narcotics trafficking charges were instituted. He was arraigned for narco possession and sentenced after he pleaded guilty

At least four shots were fired at a Berbice cattle farmer on Tuesday in New Amsterdam in what was believed to be an execution attempt.

Reports are Fenton Bell was shot once as he was about to enter his home.
Reports are the Berbice cattle farmer had just walked a friend out of his gate when he noticed someone hiding behind a concrete wall near some bushes in a nearby

playfield.
“The person shoot from in the bushes on the ground, so nobody could see them,” he said.
Opposite Bell’s Lot 2 Islington home is the Stanford Cricket Ground. According to Bell, the shots came from inside the ground where the caretaker’s house once

stood.
He said after the first shot was fired, he threw himself to the ground, but the gunman fired three more shots. He said that one of the bullets grazed his neck as he was attempting to enter the house to call for help. He said he managed to call the Police who arrived quickly. Three warheads were recovered.
Police in a release said about 17:35h just after Bell parted company with a Policeman with whom he was having a conversation, a hail of gunshots rang out,

resulting in his injury. The Police also noted that an eastern glass window was shattered and four indentations allegedly caused by gunshots were seen on the concrete wall of the said eastern side of his house.
Investigations are in progress, the release said.
According to Bell, the shots were fired from about 40 metres from him.
“Someone was there waiting for me, because I didn’t get to reach in back…I was lucky. My time has not come as yet,” he told Guyana Times. (Andrew Carmichael)

The body of an unidentified woman was on Tuesday found in the vicinity of the Foulis, East Coast Demerara, suspected to have been raped and murdered. The body was discovered by a resident, who went to the area to dispose garbage.
The body was reportedly found in a clump of bushes in a state of decomposition.

The Police was immediately alerted and an investigation was launched.
Reports are the woman’s blouse was pulled to her chest and her pants and undergarment were below her knees, leaving investigators to believe she may have been sexually assaulted.
There was also a yellow metal chain wrapped around the woman’s neck.
Police also found a pair of slippers and a hammock next to the woman’s body. She was lying face up and her arm had a gaping wound.
Police officials have confirmed that there were reports of a missing person but they are examining every possible lead.
Her age is estimated to be in the mid 30’s. Police in a release stated that the body was clad in a blue top, brown and black brassiere, blue jeans and light-blue underwear.
The woman is brown in complexion and is about five feet, five inches tall.
The body is at the Lyken’s Funeral Home awaiting identification and a post-mortem examination.

Cocaine laced hammocks

Tiffini Collison of Lot F 21 Samaan Street, Guyhoc Park Georgetown, who was wanted for posting cocaine laced hammocks to the USA has surrendered to the

Custom Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU).
The drug enforcement body issued a wanted bulletin for the mother of one on Monday and on Tuesday evening she turned up at CANU in the company of her lawyer.
It was reported that the 26-year-old used an international Courier Service to ship the hammocks sometime last week.
However, on Thursday last, the package was intercepted by ranks of the drug enforcement unit at the Eugene F Correia International Airport while checking outgoing cargo to the US.
Attempts to contact the woman proved futile until she showed up at the CANU Headquarters on Tuesday. Investigations are on-going.
In the past there have been attempts to smuggle cocaine out of Guyana in the most creative and innovative means.
Some attempted to do so in fish, achar, fish feed, milk powder and in pastries among others which has resulted in several persons being charged and either remanded to prison or sentenced and fined.
Following the interceptions, the drug enforcement units have boosted their surveillance at Guyana’s main port of entries including, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Eugene F Corriea International Airport and the Wharfs.
With the new measures in place, the cocaine mules are finding more creative means in shipping the illegal drug out of Guyana- a country which has been categorise at a major transhipment point.

Police in C Division (East Coast Demerara) are on the hunt for two men who stormed a Chinese Supermarket at Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara.

Reports are the men – one of whom was wearing a black tope, and the other a grey sunhat – entered the supermarket on Thursday evening, approached the owner’s wife, and relieved her of a mobile phone, after which they turned their attention to the owner, and relieved him of a large sum of cash and phone cards.
The men then made good their escape, but not before snatching a gold chain from an employee’s neck. The Police were summoned after the incident and the Force has launched an investigation.
CCTV footage is being reviewed by Police with the intention of determining the identity of the two armed men. Investigations are continuing.

…robs her of $500,000

A 43-year-old woman is now in a traumatised state after two gunmen followed her from Diamond, East Bank Demerara to her home, also in Diamond, where they relieved her of some $500,000 in cash.
Reports are that the incident occurred at about 12:00h, as the woman arrived home from the bank after withdrawing the money, and she was in the process of entering her yard.
Two men, bearing guns reportedly exited a white Toyota Premio motorcar, and they pounced on the woman snatching the bag of money from her hands.
The bag reportedly contained other personal documents as well. Police have since confirmed that one of the bandits attempted to snatch the woman’s iPhone from her hands, but after she put up a struggle, his accomplice was heard commanding him to “leave it alone!”
As such, they fled scene in a waiting motor car. An investigation has been launched and Police are reviewing nearby CCTV footage in an effort to identify the bandits.

CJIA cocaine bust

Twenty-seven-year-old Delvor Bunbury, who is the alleged mastermind in the smuggling of almost two kilograms of cocaine at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, has turned himself over to the Police and on Friday appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) resident stood before Magistrate Leron Daly and denied the allegation with which he has been charged.
The charge allege that he, on September 11, 2017 at Bel Air, Georgetown, attempted to traffic one kilogram, 828 grams of cocaine through Travis Mendonca, who was recently sentenced to three years in prison for naro-trafficking.
His Attorney, Latchmie Rahamat, in a bail application, said the narcotics were not found in Bunbury’s possession, and as such he has no knowledge of it.
The attorney, in her petition, told Magistrate Daly that the cocaine was found at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), and added that, to date, the said cocaine that the accused is being charged for has not been seen by him.
Police Prosecutor Simone Payne objected to bail being granted, noting that the first accused in the matter – Mendonca — gave Police information implicating the accused, who has a similar matter presently before the court.
In that matter Bunbury, Gavin Harris and ex-cop Louie Dublin were all remanded to prison after they were found to be in possession of 588 grams of cocaine at CJIA for the purpose of trafficking, but were later released on bail.
In the present matter, Bunbury was remanded to prison until October 20, when the matter would be called again. Earlier this week, a wanted bulletin was issued for Bunbury after Mendonca was arrested and jailed, and reportedly had implicated him.
However, currently, several members of the Police Narcotics Branch are now under close arrest following the disappearance of the said cocaine.
The cocaine which disappeared from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters at Eve Leary was already tendered as evidence against the two defendants.
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has confirmed that an investigation has been launched by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
He also told media operatives that the cocaine was discovered missing on Tuesday last, but he did not go into details.

–police launch probe into execution-style killing

THE police have launched an investigation into the seeming execution-style killing of Colin Daly, called “Floggy” and “Frog Eye”,
whose bullet-riddled body was found on Albert Street, Albouystown early Saturday morning.

Police say that 23-year-old Daly, of East La Penitence Housing Scheme, was discovered dead around 01:20hrs in a pool of blood, and with a suspected gunshot wound to the head.

They also say that the deceased was wanted for questioning in relation to several armed robberies, including that of a Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) officer who was recently shot dead during the commision of a hold up.

However, the man’s mother, Allison Frank, told the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday that he is not the criminal the police are making him out to be, as she only knows of one court matter in which he is involved.

That matter, she said, has to do with his chopping a man who had shot him in the hand, and is currently engaging the attention of the court. She said, too, that as far as she knows, the suspect is in jail.

The grieving woman produced several pay slips from the John Fernandes Limited wharf, where she claims that her son was employed up to August of this year as a labourer.

Frank explained that after Daly was shot in his hand, he was to have undergone surgery to remove the bullet that is still lodged there.
But because he didn’t do the surgery, he had had to quit his job at the wharf, as he was unable to have full function of that hand.

She is looking for answers surrounding the murder of her son, whom she describes as a loving person, as she has since heard all sorts of stories as it relates to his homicide.

Frank said she was in bed when she received a telephone call saying that her son had been shot and killed, and when she arrived at the location, his bloodied body was still lying on the roadway where it fell.

She said it appeared that he had been shot in the head, and at least two other parts of his body.

The woman told this publication that sometime on Saturday night, Colin was at home when a friend, who is a frequent visitor of their home, invited him out for a lime on Albert Street, Albouystown, the only place he goes.

She is clueless as to what may have led to her son being executed the way he was, and is hoping she can get those answers soon.

The police is yet to make an arrest in the murder, and the body is at the Lyken Funeral Parlour awaiting a post mortem.

A 26-YEAR-OLD woman was injured during a shootout at in Agricola, East Bank Demerara during Saturday night.

The woman is identified as Aisha Eversley of Freeman Street, Agricola, who was shot to her left foot after two men, both armed with handguns, had an argument during which they discharged rounds at each other.

The incident occurred at about 21:00hrs at Fifth Street corner, Agricola. Eversley was caught in the crossfire and shot. She was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital and sent away.

A 55-YEAR-OLD minibus driver of Tabatinga, Lethem, was on Sunday morning busted at Mabura Police Outpost, allegedly with a quantity of cannabis and cocaine for trafficking.
Garfield Christopher Parker, whose name appeared on the INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organisation) wanted list since 2016 for international drug trafficking, is currently in police custody and is assisting with the investigation.

According to reports, on Sunday, October 1, about 04:00 hrs, the police acting on information received, stopped minibus BKK 8295 and conducted a search at Mabura Police Station. Two cardboard boxes and a multi-coloured suitcase was found and a quantity of taped parcels were retrieved, containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis, along with a small plastic parcel containing what is suspected to be cocaine.
The drugs were weighed and the cannabis amounted to 24.9 kilograms and the cocaine 200 grams.
Parker, who was the driver, claimed ownership and knowledge of the drugs and told police that he was transporting the drugs for someone in Lethem. He is currently being processed for court.

– 4 in custody

By Bhisham Mohamed

Days after receiving a sound trashing at a wake-house in Industry, East Coast Demerara, a painter succumbed to his injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Hetram Ramchand, 39, of Lot 51 Crown Dam Industry, East Coast Demerara, was beaten on Friday evening, and succumbed on Sunday evening.

Based on reports received, he had attended a wake in the village, and had been part of a gathering looking at a few men gambling. After the game of cards was over, an argument ensued among the players for money owned to each other. One of the players was a relative of Ramchand’s. This newspaper understands that the argument turned into a confrontation and then a scuffle. Ramchand, in a bid to defend his cousin, was lashed to the head, and fell to the ground.
The mob then turned on him, and dealt him a sound trashing for intervening. The men were subsequently put out of the wake-house.
Based on reports received, the injured Hetram Ramchand was escorted by a nephew to the Sparendaam Police Station to lodge a complaint, but while doing so, the sons of two popular businessmen in the community turned up and claimed that they had been assaulted by Ramchand. The two men were sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital to seek medical attention, but the trashed Ramchand was placed in the lockups.
Speaking with Guyana Times, Pooran Ramchand, father of the late Hetram Ramchand, explained that his son had been kept in the cell until Saturday evening, before he was taken to the hospital.
“Is after he catch a ‘fits’ because of the beating to the head (that) the police chain he and carry he to the hospital… Meh son dead while they had he chain to the bed,” the distraught man lamented.
The angry father recalled receiving a telephone call from the police at about 03:00h on Saturday, informing him that his son was involved in “lil story” and had been arrested.
“They never tell me that meh son was beaten and that he was at the wake when the fight bruk out… They never tell me that was meh nephew carry he to the police station…Them police know who does give them money, and they got to do everything to protect them people”, he charged.
It was not until he arrived at the police station that he realized how badly his son had been beaten. He contended that although the family had requested for the painter to be sent for medical attention, the Police officer in charge had refused to so do. As such, he is blaming the Police for his son’s death, and is calling on acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine to look into the matter.
In addition, he is asking Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan to intervene, so that some sort of justice can be given to the aggrieved family.
The Police, in a release, stated that four men have been arrested and are assisting with the investigations.
Ramchand’s body is at the GPHC morgue awaiting a post mortem.
He leaves to mourn his parents and two siblings.

A deportee from the United States was on Monday morning beaten to death during a drinking spree with his pal at his Industry Front, East Coast Demerara home. A deportee from the United States was on Monday morning beaten to death during a drinking spree with his pal at his Industry Front, East Coast Demerara home. The dead man has been identified as 44-year-old Bhagwan Ramadhar, also called ‘Alan Bhagwandin’, of Lot 50 Industry, East Coast Demerara. The Guyana Times understands that the two men had been in the habit of consuming alcohol, and on the day in question, they were engaged in a heated argument.During the

argument, the suspect, Mahase Dhanraj, also called “Crusher,” picked up a piece of wood and dealt Ramadhar one blow to the head. Although the victim fell to the ground in an unconscious state, the suspect continued to hit him to the head. From reports received, Ramadhar’s face was battered.It is not clear what

prompted the argument, but persons in the area, including the suspect’s sister, related that the two men had been ‘drinking buddies’, and would become embroiled in heated arguments from time to time;  but this was the first time an argument had become so violent. At the scene, the suspect’s sister, Sumintra Sugrim, told media operatives that the now dead man had lived alone, and her brother would frequently visit his home to consume alcohol. She explained that Monday morning was no different. Her brother went over to the dead man’s house, and the drinking spree began.However, whilst she was attending to her plants at the back of her yard, she heard the argument between the two men, but rather than enquiring, she continued doing her chores. This, she noted, was because the men would argue whenever they were “drinking rum”.  Nevertheless, as she

reached to the front of the yard, she saw her brother in a drunken state and he was trembling. Soon after, she heard her neighbours calling out to her, relating that Ramadhar was lying under the house in a pool of blood. She did not attempt to ask her brother what had transpired, but instead the police were summoned. The incident, she added, came as a shock not only to her, but to the residents. The suspect was arrested and has confessed to the murder. The piece of wood suspected to be the murder weapon was collected by investigators to be lodged as evidence. Meanwhile, Guyana Times understands that the now dead man had been deported from the US a few years ago, and had lived alone at his Industry, ECD home, where he plied his trade. His drunken state had persuaded persons not to give him work. As a result, he had resorted to doing odd jobs for people in the area. The murder suspect is expected to make his first court appearance shortly.

TWO bandits on Monday night robbed a 36-year-old caterer of Bent Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, on North Road between Alexander and Bourda streets.

Police said the incident occurred about 19:10hrs.

Enquiries disclosed that the victim and his three male friends were heading to Bourda Market. Upon arrival the victim parked his motorcar on North Road and he and his friends exited at which point they were confronted by the three men. According to the police one of the bandits who was armed with a handgun demanded the key for the motorcar of which the driver refused to give.

The bandit proceeded lash him to his head with the gun and subsequently he fell to the ground at which point his friends ran away. The armed bandit picked up the car key entered the vehicle with his other accomplices and escaped with the victim cellular phones heading west of North Road. No arrest made.

Police said the incident occurred about 19:10hrs.

Enquiries disclosed that the victim and his three male friends were heading to Bourda Market. Upon arrival the victim parked his motorcar on North Road and he and his friends exited at which point they were confronted by the three men. According to the police one of the bandits who was armed with a handgun demanded the key for the motorcar of which the driver refused to give.

The bandit proceeded lash him to his head with the gun and subsequently he fell to the ground at which point his friends ran away. The armed bandit picked up the car key entered the vehicle with his other accomplices and escaped with the victim cellular phones heading west of North Road. No arrest made.

…assailant hangs self

A 39-YEAR-OLD policewoman sergeant who lived at #30 Village, West Coast Berbice, was hacked to death in her home by a male acquaintance who committed suicide shortly after.

The dead policewoman was identified as Sgt. Kennesha Sheriff- Fraser, while her assailant who later hanged himself from a Courida tree on the Atlantic foreshore was identified as Clayton Anthony, known as Woody, also of # 30 Village. Anthony lived in the bottom flat of a two storeyed building at Lot 370 and the dead woman lived on the upper flat of the building.

Reports are that Anthony was a close acquaintance of the dead woman and her relatives and at one time lived with them in the upper flat of the building before moving to the lower flat of the building, which became vacant some time ago. Sgt Fraser, popularly known as “Tekkie”was the Deputy Supervisor of the Registry at the Central Police Station at New Amsterdam. The murder occurred around 09:00hrs and Anthony took his own life about twenty minutes later.

Shocked neighbours said yesterday that they had little or no inkling that something serious had occurred at the house. “I didn’t hear any quarreling; any raised voices. I heard her cry out once but I thought that maybe she had had some bad news and had shouted in distress,” one neighbour said.

They realised that something was amiss when they saw Anthony soaked in blood and holding a rope in his hand and running towards the northern section of the village which is close to the Atlantic Ocean. “I see he running and looking back and running and looking back and then I suspected that something was wrong,” a neighbour who was among those who made the discovery of the woman’s mutilated body said. Another neighbour disclosed that both Ms. Fraser and her attacker were alone in the house at the time; she upstairs and he downstairs, since the adults in the home had gone to work and the children had left for school.

Reasons for the savage attack baffled many neighbours. “This chap lived with this family off and on for many years; only God knows why he had do such a savage act on someone he knew.” Another source disclosed that shortly before the attack, the now dead woman had called her mother, also a policewoman to query about the whereabouts of her cellphone, since it could not be found. The mother had replied that she did not know where her cellphone was. Another source who was on hand to witness when Anthony’s body was cut down, said that when he was searched he was found to have two cellphones in his trouser pocket; one belonged to him and the other belonged to the dead woman.
Rumors about motive abounded.

The dead woman’s husband lived with her in the upper storey of the building where her murderer also lived with them before moving downstairs. “They all lived together in the upper flat of the building at one point in time, but her husband was in the bush most of the time,” she said. Another neighbour averred that the killing and suicide was premeditated, since Anthony had invited him to take a drink with him “for the last” Wednesday afternoon. “Those were his words. He said: “Well boy, come leh we take a drink for the last. He didn’t say why he said that,” the neighbour said.

Anthony was said to be a prosperous miner at one point in time but had apparently fallen on hard times, since he had been living on the coast for the longest while eking out an existence on farming and occasional construction work, one neighbour said. The man who had been married at one time was reportedly said to have violently chopped his wife while he and she lived in New Amsterdam and had been shot in the leg by police during an investigation into that offence some time ago.

Sergeant Kennesha Sheriff-Fraser leaves to mourn her three children: Rinson Rose 18, Dacuan Fraser 11 and Danara Fraser 5. The bodies are at the Anthony’s Funeral Parlour at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, awaiting post-mortems

Thirty-year-old mother of three, Savita Persaud is now clinging to life following a beating which left her unconscious, reportedly at the hands of her reputed husband, Naresh Dass.

Guyana Times understands that the altercation took place at the couple’s Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara home and Persaud’s relatives are calling for the relevant authorities to conduct thorough investigations into the matter.
The injured woman’s sister, Sally Persaud, explained that on Saturday last, the 30-year-old left with her three daughters and her reputed husband’s sister to visit the creek. Dass’ sister is on vacation from Trinidad.
Reports are that the accused became enraged, and upon his sister’s return, reportedly threw her suitcase and other belongings out of his house. Guyana Times was informed that the brother and sister argued for a short while before the still fuming Dass proceeded to the upper flat of the home to throw out his wife’s belongings.
“He then rushed upstairs to throw Savita’s belongings outside [but] she followed him to stop him. As she was going up the stairs, he grab her by the neck, lift her up and throw her down on the concrete,” Persaud’s sister said.
This publication was told that the mother of three was unconscious for some time and was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre by her sister-in-law. However, when the doctors reportedly enquired as to how Persaud was injured, her husband’s sister allegedly told the medical officials that she [Persaud] was involved in an accident.
“They [Doctors] took some blood test and sent her home. His [Dass’] sister then got her some medicine from the pharmacy that has ibuprofen in it so that she can sleep it off. His sister told me that she has to sleep it off then she’ll be okay,” Sally Persaud explained on Thursday.
Shortly after returning home, the injured woman’s other siblings reportedly attempted to take her away to be treated at another medical facility. However, Dass attempted to stop them, but this proved futile.
“My sister was taken to Best Hospital [West Demerara Regional Hospital]… The doctors have examined her and put on her record that she needs an MRI and that she has ‘Spine damage’. She’s currently in the hospital waiting for an answer from the doctors as to the extent of the spinal injury. Currently she’s not moving and needs attention as it seems so severe,” Guyana Times was told.
Persaud’s relatives explained that the duo has been together for several years, but it only became known to them recently that their loved one was an alleged victim of domestic abuse. Relatives added that on a few occasions, the now injured woman had attempted to leave her husband but would always return based on Dass’ reported promises to change the error of his ways.
“Together they have three daughters and my sister thinks of them mostly, as they keep asking for their dad when she takes them away. He makes promises to her that he won’t hit her ever again but still he does it,” a relative claimed.
This newspaper was told that a report of the incident was made at the Diamond/Grove Police Station as well as the Timehri Police Station. However, Dass is yet to be apprehended.
“The Police have to start stepping up and take actions against those men who find it necessary to beat their wives… What are the laws doing to protect us as women or anyone who is facing domestic violence?” a female relative of Persaud questioned.
Incidents of domestic violence by both male and female parties have been recorded in the past months and years, with women being the primary victims of such attacks. As recent as August, 25-year-old Ryan Singh was remanded to prison on allegations that he slit the throat of his 16-year-old live-in girlfriend who was attacked on July 29. The two were reportedly arguing over his lack of interest in finding a job.
The girl, Rosana Lakhpal, was a former Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) student and she met Singh on the social media website, Facebook. Neighbours said they had made numerous complaints to Lakhpal’s mother that Singh was abusing her daughter when they were alone but the teen denied this was happening. Their relationship commenced before she turned 16.
Before that incident, Central Amelia’s Ward, Mackenzie, Linden resident Michael London, 35, was also remanded to prison days after being implicated in the brutal murder of his 37-year-old wife, Shenika London, in their Linden home. The accused fatally stabbed his wife after contending that she was unfaithful to him.
Police had indicated that at the time of her murder, London rushed out of their home and into the neighbour’s yard, drenched in blood and calling for assistance. However, she collapsed just before she could reach the door. The blood-stained knife used to carry out the gruesome act was found at the crime scene. (Romona Luthi and Shemuel Fanfair

–in minibus at Weldaad, after four long months on the run

COMMISSIONER of Police (ag), David Ramnarine has confirmed that prison escapee, Mark Royden Durant, aka Smallie and Royden Williams, was captured on Monday evening.
According to Ramnarine, the wanted man was intercepted in a minibus which was heading east along the public road at Weldaad, West Coast Berbice (WCB) around 20:00hrs.
Durant, who escaped from the Camp Street Prison during a riot on July 9, 2017, had been on the run for over three months.
The wanted man reportedly adopted a new look by removing his dreadlocks, and was living among the residents of West Coast Berbice.
According to a statement from the police, Durant was travelling alone and unarmed when he was apprehended during an intelligence-led operation.

Reliable police sources confirmed that Durant was taken to a holding facility in Georgetown.
Before his escape, he was on death row. The condemned prisoner was jointly charged with Michael Caesar for the murders of Fazil Hakim, called “Boyie”, and Rajesh Singh, called “Rabbit” at a liquor bar on Agriculture Road, Triumph, East Coast Demerara in December 2007.

He was also convicted for his involvement in the February 17, 2008 Bartica Massacre of Lance Corporal Zaheer Zakir, Constables Shane Fredericks and Ron Osborne, civilians Edwin Gilkes, Dexter Adrian, Irving Ferreira, Deonarine Singh, Ronald Gomes, Ashraf Khan, Abdool Yasseen, Errol Thomas, and Baldeo Singh.
He was also convicted on eight counts of murder, and four counts of manslaughter, and was sentenced to death by Justice Roxane George SC, now Chief Justice. As it relates to the Bartica Massacre, Williams has a second indictment for terrorism, and three counts for break and enter and larceny.
Last month, the convict was allegedly with fellow prison escapee, Uree Varswyck in the Amelia’s Ward area. The pair reportedly opened fire on members of the Joint Services, who returned fire which resulted in Varswyck, who was wearing a military vest and boots, being killed.
Meanwhile, the search is still on for Cobena Stephens, called OJ and Paul Goriah, who escaped in a separate prison break at the Lusignan prison.

–residents suspect ‘Pradoville’ people

RESIDENTS of the East Coast Demerara Community of Goedverwagting are feeling the squeeze after an access bridge on which they heavily depend was set alight last Thursday night.

According to the residents, it is the second such occurrence. The bridge in question reportedly connects Goedverwagting with neighbouring ‘Pradoville’.
They told the Guyana Chronicle that early in September, the Plaisance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) had cause to lodge a complaint with the police in their community regarding the wanton destruction of the bridge by persons unknown.
While investigations into that fire were still ongoing, residents moved to have the bridge rebuilt last Monday. However, three days after it was reconstructed, it was again set alight.

Rodwell Leonard who resides in the community, said that last Thursday around 02:00hrs, he and his fellow villagers “had to come out again and out the fire.”
He said they have every reason to suspect that it is the residents of Pradoville who have been vandalising the bridge, as they have long had an issue with Goedverwagting people passing through their community.
This has been going on since the Pradoville community was established back in 2002, Leonard said, adding that while the police are still doing their investigations, they have two suspects on their radar.
He hopes the footage from the CCTV camera overlooking the bridge would be of help to the police, as the issue is becoming overbearing.
“It is becoming very frustrating for the residents,” Leonard said. “This is a bridge that children use to access the ‘line-top’, and people who going to work at the Ogle Airport use it to get to work.”
He said while the bridge was out of commission following the fire last month, schoolchildren had to use the “very busy” Railway Embankment Road.

Back then when the incident occurred, Goedverwagting residents had told the Guyana Chronicle that they believed their Pradoville neighbours had finally succeeded in keeping them out of their community.
That bridge was said to be a “saviour” for many schoolchildren attending the Bladen Hall Primary and Cummings Lodge Secondary Schools, as it helped keep them off the busy Railway Embankment Road.
Leonard said the bridge had been in existence long before ‘Pradoville’ was established.

Before the fire last month, residents in Pradoville had allegedly attempted to burn the bridge on two occasions. “But we always see smoke and run out to out it,” one Goedverwagting resident said.