Police in Georgetown rushed to Norton Street, Wortmanville, on Wednesday afternoon following the discharge of a gun in the area.
According to information reaching Guyana Times, the incident occurred about 15:00h. The shooter has been identified as “Yankee” and “Cuzz” of Norton Street and West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.

Eyewitnesses related to this newspaper that the suspect had opened fire on another Norton Street resident, Troy Brandt, accusing him of “interfering” with the mother of his child.
The woman, who also lives on Norton Street, had gone to the shop with a younger relative. At the time, Brandt was sitting on a corner of Norton and Hardina Streets along with two others.
As the woman was returning home, Brandt reportedly asked if she wanted an umbrella to which she did not respond. However, when they got home, the younger relative allegedly informed the suspect about what transpired.
The angry man was subsequently seen riding a bicycle to the spot where Brandt and his friends were sitting. The suspect dismounted the cycle and reportedly told Brandt “don’t breathe!”
He then whipped out a firearm and cranked it. Upon seeing this, Brandt ran towards his home, which is four houses away, as the suspect discharged a round in his direction. Luckily, he escaped unhurt.
The suspect then jumped onto his bike and rode away. About five minutes later, three vanloads of Policemen arrived on the scene, but were unable to apprehend the suspect.
Investigations are ongoing.

A police officer attached to the Albion Police Station came in for high praises when he managed to foil a robbery in progress in the area.

Constable 23653 Jacobe McCallman acted on his intuition when he noticed a suspicious car parked in front of a business place, situated a few houses in the opposite direction of the Albion Police Station.

According to reports at around 02:00hrs on Wednesday, three men broke and entered the business place of Andrew’s Stationery Computers and Car Auto Sales at Lot 10 Albion Front, Corentyne ,Berbice. The men gained entry into the business by breaking four padlocks on the front door and carted off with items totaling $1,915,000. The items included 10 Amplifiers, two laptops, an inverter, a battery, ten car decks, eleven speakers, one camera set and $68,000 cash from the register along with the surveillance footage.

Proprietor, Andrew Motiram, told Guyana Chronicle that he was informed of the incident by ranks of the police mobile patrol. He said he immediately visited the scene and was shocked to find his place opened and parts of the store ransacked with items left at the entrance.

This newspaper understands that after Constable McCallman noticed the suspicious vehicle, he decided to walk towards the business, and upon getting closer, noticed two men packing items into a burgundy car.

As the cop got closer, he noticed one of the men pulling an object out of his waist and it was at this point that Constable McCallman fired two shots in the air. According to reports, the two men jumped into the vehicle and drove away. They left behind the third accomplice in the store, however he quickly emerged and ran through a street and despite the efforts of the police, the man escaped.

A mobile police patrol was informed of the incident and while heading to the location, ranks noticed a vehicle matching the description of the getaway car and decided to follow it. The chase ended at Reef Section, Rose Hall Town where the getaway car crashed.

The suspects exited the vehicle and made good their escape.  The abandoned car, PHH 3733, was subsequently pulled out by the police and the stolen items were recovered in the car .The car and the items are lodged at the Albion Police Station.

Meanwhile, Commander of ‘B’ Division, Ian Amsterdam confirmed that the owner of the car, Freddie Butler, who resides at Section B Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara is currently in police custody assisting with investigations.

However, this newspaper was informed that prior to his arrest, Butler turned up at the Whim Police Station and reported that his car was stolen. He told police that the car was hijacked and that he was tied up and thrown out of the car at Auchlyne Cemetery, which is a village away from Whim Police Station.

The man told police that he was hired to take the men to Berbice. But according to the Commander, Butler’s story is not “checking out,” hence he remains in custody.

“We are checking the timings he claimed he crossed the Berbice Bridge, among others. His story is not matching,” the Commander said.

…open fire on Police during escape

A Triumph, East Coast Demerara family is now traumatised after armed bandits stormed their home on Friday night, robbing them of their valuables, but not before tying them up and terrorising them.
The incident occurred at sometime around 10:15h at the family’s home at Lot 9 Triumph Sideline Dam, Agriculture Road. The Police reported that three men, two of whom were armed with a handgun and a knife, confronted the family, holding them at gunpoint while ransacking the house in search of “money and gold”.
Harry Ram Bishundat, owner of the home, told Guyana Times that his son-in-law, his daughter, and his two granddaughters were downstairs at the time, while his son was in a room upstairs and he and his wife and grandson were in another room.
The gates were locked, but the bandits gained entry into the yard by removing several pickets from the fence at the front of the yard. A neighbour had seen the men removing the pickets and had thought a drunken relative of the Bishundat family was having difficulty accessing the yard. He was about to help, but when he realised what was transpiring, he retreated into his home and immediately summoned the Police.
In the meanwhile, the bandits pounced on Bishundat’s son-in-law, holding him at gunpoint as they escorted him into the downstairs quarters, which his wife and two daughters were occupying at the time.
One of the gunmen then proceeded into the upper flat, dragged Bishundat’s son out into the hallway, and held him at gunpoint.
Upon hearing the commotion, Bishundat’s wife got out of bed to investigate, and as she entered the hallway, she screamed when she say what was happening.
The gunman forced her to lie on the floor, but her scream had alerted her husband to what was happening.
The gunman then hit her son on the head with the firearm. By this time, Bishundat got up and went to the bandit, telling him to take whatever he wanted. The second accomplice then brought up the four other family members and put them to lie on the floor with the other three.
They then cut the telephone and computer cords, using it to tie up the family members. Afterwards, they started to ransack the rooms, confiscating cash, jewellery and a few cellular phones.
The bandits were by this time in the house for about 10 minutes. It is believed that the third accomplice was keeping watch, since Bishundat said he only saw two of them in the house.
Bishundat recalled that about five minutes into the search, one of the perpetrators turned to the other to inform him that Police were outside the building. The men left the home shortly after.
Bishundat said he heard a gunshot and told his family to get back down on the floor, since they were up trying to free themselves from bondage.
The man said that with the Police in front of the yard, the bandits attempted to scale the back fence in their bid to escape, but the fence collapsed with them. Police have since recovered a hat and a pair of slippers near the fence. The family also recovered one of their stolen cell phones in the yard.
While Bishundat is not certain who had fired the shots, he said that neighbours claim the first shot was fired at the Police from a car in which the bandits arrived on the scene, which was parked nearby.
The neighbours allege that after discharging a round at the Police, the person in the car drove away when the ranks returned fire twice.
However, in a statement, the Police said ranks of a mobile patrol responded to a robbery-in-progress, and upon seeing the police, the armed bandit “discharged several rounds at the lawmen, who returned fire, but unfortunately, the suspects managed to elude the cops by scaling a southern fence and escaping.”
Up to press time, no arrests had been made.

An arrest is yet to be made into the robbery of the Rich Thriving Auto Repair and Servicing Company, located at Industrial Site Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
On Wednesday last, eight armed bandits loaded in two cars, a white Toyota and a silver Allion, stormed the Ruimveldt business.
Since the incident, the company’s owner has indicated that improvements will be made to heighten security at the entity.
According to the business owner, he was told by the investigating Officer that no progress has been made since the robbery.
However, he told Guyana Times that to make the facility safer for customers, management has taken measures to improve security services.
Employees of the facility along with customers were all attacked and beaten about their bodies during the robbery after which several of their belongings including two guns; seven cellphones and over $400,000 in cash were taken by the bandits.
The bandits were all armed and fully clad in black hoodies, long sleeve jerseys and tope headwear, as such, they are unidentifiable.

After the daring attack, the men bolted in the awaiting cars which bore “straight plates” as if they came from an auto sales dealer and made good their escape.
When Guyana Times arrived on the scene of the crime, it was noted that at least nine persons were badly beaten and injured.
According to one victim, the bandits beat the employees and a customer over their heads with guns while demanding that they hand over their valuables.
One employee relayed “they had jersey to cover their nose but they’re eyes and head were showing. I doing me work and see the two cars pull up and I see this thing long in he bag.

They [were] just arguing with one another and one said, we got to get something before we leff here,” the young man added.
The Police were called and reported promptly to the scene of the crime.
The business currently employs eight workers; five Chinese and three Guyanese. Investigation into the incident is continuing.

A 63-year-old miner was on Saturday nabbed with a gun along with 23 matching rounds of ammunition at Iruna Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
According to Police reports, ranks were at the time of the man’s camp responding to reports made against him but as they approached him, he threw the gun into a box.
Reports are at about 09:30h, the man originally of Duncan Street, Kitty, Georgetown, was seen lying in a hammock. However, when he noticed the ranks approaching him, he threw the pistol in a nearby carton box. The ranks then descended on the box and uncovered an unlicensed 9mm pistol along with 23 live rounds and two magazines.
The man was taken into Police custody and is currently being processed for court.
A Police statement on Saturday said that the weapon is being tested to determine if it was used in the commission of a crime.
Investigations are continuing.

A 53-year-old woman, her two sons and her lover were on Friday slapped with a narcotics trafficking charge and taken to the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

Gloria David, her two sons Dwayne, 23, and Dellon David, 24, together with her lover Mexford London, all of Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, appeared before Magistrate Marissa Mettelholzer on a joint possession of narcotics charge.

It is alleged that the quartet, on June 13 at Timmers Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, had in their possession 1.735 kg of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Dwayne David pleaded guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and fined $347,000.

Dellon David and Mexford London were both granted bail in the sum of $120,000 each, after denying the charge. However, Gloria David, who also denied the charge, was released on $60,000 bail.

The court was told that on Tuesday last, a party of Policemen acting on information when to a home which is situated at Timmers Dam and conducted a search. A white plastic parcel was unearthed which contained seeds, stems and leaves. Further checks were made in the yard and a black plastic bag was discovered containing the same contents. The bag was found in the compartment under the seat of a motorcycle that was allegedly left in the care of Dellon David.

At the time of the search, there were three occupants at home: Gloria, Dellon and London.

They were placed in custody, and the following day Dwayne visited the Central Police Station and claimed ownership of the cannabis, stating that the other occupants had no knowledge of it. (Andrew Carmichael)

TWO intelligence-led operations on the East Bank of Essequibo and New Amsterdam, Berbice between Monday and Tuesday morning resulted in the arrest of four males and the seizure of four and a half kilograms of compressed cannabis and thirty-one point three grams of

cocaine.

Police in a press statement noted that about 17:00hrs Monday during a sting operation, ranks went to a house at Tucber Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice, where three men were arrested and taken into custody with nine taped parcels of cannabis weighing 4.5kg.

Meanwhile, over at Parika Seadam, East Bank Essequibo police conducted a search at a shop about 03:30hrs Tuesday morning and in the presence of the 47 year old owner, the ranks found a quantity of cocaine pellets inside a hammock, in which he was seen resting. The suspects are being processed for court.

…to be extradited to face fraud charges

FORMER accountant of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Peter Ramcharran, was on Tuesday arrested by the Toronto Fugitive Squad, authorities here have confirmed.
Ramcharran, who has been charged jointly with several other former top officials of the GRDB, had fled the jurisdiction prior to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) instituting criminal charges. His arrest in Canada followed an extradition request which was made by the Guyana Government to their Canadian counterparts.

The Guyana Chronicle was told that Ramcharran will be subjected to a court hearing to determine the extradition request before he is sent back to Guyana. He is currently in police custody. Just recently, Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan issued an arrest warrant for Ramcharran, even as SOCU had made formal representation for him to be extradited to face the charges.
Head of SOCU, Assistant Commissioner Sydney James, had told the Guyana Chronicle that the arrest warrant was issued for Ramcharran on five counts of falsification of accounts. James had appeared before the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court to explain why an arrest warrant should be issued for the former accountant.

Ramcharran was responsible for ‘signing off’ on a number of questionable transactions that were traced to the six officials who were recently charged and others caught up in the GRDB probe. Last week, five charges of falsification of accounts were filed and sworn to in court by an investigating rank; however Ramcharran was not present in court, since he reportedly fled the jurisdiction to Canada during SOCU’s investigation. But SOCU’s Special Prosecutor Patrice Henry had explained to Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan that the accused was informed about the court proceedings and was ordered to be present in court.

The magistrate had adjourned the matter until June 5, 2017 at 13:15hrs and ordered that the Head of SOCU be present at the next hearing to satisfy the court why an arrest warrant should be issued for Ramcharran.
The allegation was made against Ramcharran during SOCU’s investigation in which six former GRDB officials were charged and released on $500,000 bail for failing to make a proper entry into a register of a company two week ago.

The six officials charged are former GRDB head, Madulall Ricky Ramraj; former General Manager Jagnarine Singh; former GRDB board members Dharamkumar Seeraj, Badrie Persaud, PPP Parliamentarian Nigel Dharamlall and former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Finance) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Prema Roopnarine. During SOCU’s investigation, Ramcharran was found to have falsified accounts at the GRBD of over $400M between the years 2011 to 2015, while being the accountant at the company.

–deportee husband on the run

A MOTHER of five, who rejected sexual advances from her recently-deported reputed husband, met a gruesome death at their Lot 19 Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje, Berbice home on Wednesday.
Mintie Karamchand, 40, a waitress, was chopped and beaten repeatedly about her body, even as she attempted to escape through a wooden window on the lower flat of the house. The suspect, Goldburn December, is being vigorously pursued by a team comprising of police and civilians in the Canje River area. Police said that an argument erupted between the couple over the victim being unfaithful.
As a result, the suspect became annoyed, picked up a small wooden stool and dealt the victim several lashes on her head, causing her to flee the house by jumping through a window.

Not satisfied, the suspect armed himself with a chopper, went after the victim and inflicted several chops to her hands, feet and head, causing her to collapse, after which he allegedly collected a piece of rope and fled across the nearby Canje River.

The victim was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where she succumbed at about 10:30hrs while receiving treatment. This newspaper understands that the couple’s eldest daughter, Drucilla December, was on the upper flat with her 18-day old baby, when she ran to her mother’s assistance. At this time, her father was chopping the woman; she got between them, but her father warned her to move.
“I became afraid. I had the baby in my hand. I recently delivered via caesarian section. I looked at my father. He looked strange. I decided to go. I hugged my daughter and ran, alerting neighbours of the tragedy as I fled. But no one went to her rescue as they were all afraid,” the distraught daughter said.
A neighbour, identified as “Miss Barbara,” said it was just before 09:00hrs when she her loud screams emanating from the couple’s yard.
“I looked through my door and I saw Drucilla running off with the baby, screaming loudly. I rushed to the house and I saw Goldburn chopping at his wife. I shouted at him to stop, and he told me to mind my own business. He later left the yard as the woman left bleeding ; but seconds afterwards he returned to the yard, picked up a bench and dealt her several lashes to her head before walking off with a rope,” Miss Barbara said.
The witness said after neighbours converged at the scene, attempts were made to arrest the suspect, but he fled towards the Canje river where he was seen plunging overboard.

ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Meanwhile, Drucilla related that when she returned to the scene, she saw her mother’s bloodied body, and it was her step-grandfather who assisted in taking her to the New Amsterdam hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Further, this newspaper was told that the suspect, Goldburn December, was in the habit of abusing his wife, and it was because of acts of cruelty that he had left Guyana eight years ago. It was also revealed that eight years ago, Karamchand was in a relationship with someone else, who was also beaten by the suspect, resulting in criminal prosecution. However, the status of the matter is unknown.
Deported
Guyana Chronicle understands that in December 2016, the suspect had threatened to kill his wife, but the threats were not taken seriously. However, later that month, he was returning to Guyana from Suriname via overland, when he was intercepted by Surinamese police. A search was carried out on his personal belongings and it was discovered that he had a pistol concealed in a radio. The suspect was arrested, charged and was sentenced to six months imprisonment in Suriname. At the conclusion of his sentence, he was deported to Guyana in May 2017.
Upon his return home, the now unemployed man would allegedly attempt to make sexual advances to his wife, but an argument would usually erupt.

-murder accused stabbed to death, brother critical

A BRAWL at the New Amsterdam Prison has left one brother dead and another in a critical condition following a fight at the facility, located at Penitentiary walk, New Amsterdam.
Dead is 27-year-old Neshan Jagmohan known as “Bully”, while his 23-year-old brother, Ramnarine Jagmohan is currently battling for his life at the New Amsterdam Hospital; they both previously lived at Hamphshire Squatting Area. They have been on remand since 2013 for the murder of a businessman. Neshan is a father of five while Ramnarine is a father of one.

This newspaper understands that Ramnarine received several stab wounds to his neck and chest, while his younger brother also received injuries in the region of the chest. Director of Prison, Gladwin Samuels told Guyana Chronicle that an improvised weapon was used to carry out the attack on the brothers. He noted that the police are continuing their investigations.
The incident occurred at approximately 14:30 hrs on Wednesday, when three murder accused pounced on the two inmates as they returned from court. The suspects have been identified as 25-year-old Dillon Boucher of Haslington, East Coast Demerara, 23-year-old Ramchand Latchman of Number 65 Village, Corentyne and Rooplall Abrahim of Lot 4, Bath Settlement,W.C.B.
According to reports, as the brothers were heading into their cells, the trio cornered them and inflicted several stab wounds with an improvised weapon. Up to press time, it was still unclear as to what prompted the incident.
The mother of the two inmates, Pamilla Jagmohan, told the Guyana Chronicle that she saw her sons earlier at the Albion Magistrate’s Court but they returned to the prison after the Magistrate failed to show up.

“Me cook duck curry and take fuh them and they seem ok. Meh seh like dem people go kill out ayo in here. Every time them ah give ayo date fuh come and ah magistrate ah just postpone am or he nah ah come …and he meh left and come way,” the grieving mother said.
She related that at around 17:00hrs, several relatives came by her home and asked if she knew what occurred at the prison with her sons.
“Them come tell me them see pon the internet, them boy get stab up , suh me just get up and rush to go down at the hospital …until now me ah wait fuh hear what happen,” the distraught woman told this newspaper.
Jagmohan said she wants justice for her sons and for the authorities to get to the bottom of the story. When this newspaper caught up with the mother, she and her husband were sitting at the entrance to the New Amsterdam Prison awaiting information from officials; they were subsequently given permission to visit the other injured son at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
The brothers were charged with the murder of businessman, Devendra Deodat called “Dave”, of Lot 72 Hampshire Village.The businessman was shot and chopped during an armed

robbery at his home on October 13, 2013 .His father-in-law, Rafeel Abdul was also shot twice during the attack when he came to the rescue of the family.
The businessman’s wife, Shaneza Deodat was not spared the attack as she too was also injured.

-relatives believe he was ‘sacrificed’

POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of eight-year-old, Isaiah David Smartt, whose body was found by a relative in a shallow trench in Sophia, Greater Georgetown late on Tuesday afternoon.

Relatives believe that the F. E. Pollard Primary School student of Lot 148 Block ‘E’ Plum Park, Sophia, died as a result of a ‘sacrifice’ perpetrated by a female villager, whom they suspect performs ‘spiritual works’ for material gains. As such, they are asking the police to look deeper into the boy’s death.

The lad was discovered missing from home since Monday when he left to go visit his sister, who lives a short distance away; he would take the same route (short cut) on a regular basis to go to his father’s residence.

Smartt’s eldest sister, Anisha Williams, told the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday that her sibling visited another sister and then left for his father’s residence on Monday afternoon. She explained that another sister was supposed to accompany him but she fell asleep, thus he went alone.

Williams said her brother’s body was found in a shallow trench in a villager’s yard; she does not believe that he drowned as she noted he was an excellent swimmer. According to Williams, the family does not have issues with anyone in the village; she is baffled as to how he met his death.
Williams related that when Smartt’s body was found, family members broke down in tears at the scene but the suspect they have in mind in his death, told them that they [the family] “should not make noise” because they “did not have time for him.” The suspect then reportedly instructed the family to leave the scene.

Guyana Chronicle understands that Smartt’s body was found by his cousin, who decided to walk the same path the lad would take to visit his father.

Williams reported that the person they suspect in the death lives next door to their sister and they would like the police to talk to that woman because she is involved in “nasty wuk”, such as human sacrifices.

Meanwhile, Commander of ‘A’ Division, Marlon Chapman told the Guyana Chronicle that Smartt’s body bore no visible marks of violence and was found at about 19:45hrs in approximately two feet of water in the trench.

He related that after the child left his sister’s house alone and did not show up, a search was initiated by relatives, who discovered his body and summoned the police. Chapman added that detectives, who visited the scene, spoke to several persons including, the relatives of the victim and they are awaiting a post mortem report to determine the path of the investigation.

At the F. E. Pollard Primary School, David Street, Kitty where Smartt was a student, a pall of gloom permeated the atmosphere as teachers and students received the sad news of his death on Wednesday. Grade Two teacher, Rhonda Estwick told the Guyana Chronicle that Smartt was a disciplined child but at times very chatty and was an average student, academically.

Smartt is survived by nine siblings and scores of relatives, including his parents. A post mortem examination is expected to be performed on the body on Friday.