Gruesome killing rocks Better Hope…Man hacks off uncle’s head over land dispute

 Aug 07, 2017  News 0 Comments

Allegedly upset with the court cases involving his aunt over a plot of land at Lot 125 South Better Hope, East Coast Demerara, a 27-year-old man beheaded his uncle before surrendering to police yesterday morning.
The suspect, identified as Dwayne Tappin a former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) rank, turned himself in to ranks at the Sparendaam Police Station, some hours after killing his uncle, Randolph Seenauth, 51.
Seenauth’s headless body was found in the wooden cottage where he resided.
Commander of Police ‘C’ Division Calvin Brutus, who was at the scene, said that Seenauth and his nephew lived in separate apartments on the plot of land.
He said that at around 04:30hrs neighbours heard a loud commotion coming from one of the apartments but there was silence for a few minutes which led them to suspect something was amiss.
Neighbours called out for Seenauth but got no response and later contacted the Sparendaam Police Station, the Commander disclosed. Police ranks arrived shortly after and upon pushing the front door to Seenauth’s apartment, found his head lying in a passageway between the living room and kitchen. Further checks were made in the apartment and the rest of the man’s body was discovered on a mattress in the bedroom. Brutus stated the murder weapon was not recovered despite searches on both apartments.
Indra Kowlessar, a sister of the slain man, said that Tappin, who is her nephew, was always in the habit of beating her brother. According to the woman, her family is involved in a dispute over the land which her mother died and left for her. She disclosed that the dispute is engaging the attention of the High Court. She said that her sister, who is Tappin’s mother, lived on the land for several years before building her home at Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
After her sister moved out, Kowlessar said the woman’s daughter lived there with her partner who also was in the habit of beating Seenauth, an epileptic. She said that the situation became overbearing and she served her niece with a lawyer’s letter and she eventually moved out.

ALLEGED KILLER: Dwayne Tappin

“They does beat he (Seenauth). You know how much time I make report to the station. They beat he a time and tear off his clothes and I took him at the station. They burst his head all…”
“But still they does come here. The mother does come here. So I take them to the High Court for this property. They are not supposed to come here. Every time I fence this yard and put on lock on the gate (Tappin) would come and jump the fence and go in the yard and beat by brother.”
She disclosed that her nephew sleeps in the house at nights.
Kowlessar recounted that relatives dealt her brother a sound thrashing at a shop just opposite his home. She said that a relative of Tappin’s had told her, “people does pay $20,000 to kill yuh and that he gon’ pay $20,000 to kill me so that I cannot have this property.”
The woman stated that she has made numerous reports to the police about the death threats.
Kowlessar stated that in an effort to avoid problems with her relatives she avoids going near the disputed land. She added that she provided her brother with food and money and would beg persons in the village to keep an eye on him.
She said that up to last Friday her sister visited the premises with her daughter.
“They break the door and go in the house.”
Kowlessar revealed that her nephew was picked up by police in relation to reports of rape committed on a child. She said that her sister had accused her brother of calling the police.
Meanwhile, another sister of Seenauth is refuting claims that Tappin killed him.
She said that their sister is trying to frame Tappin for the murder.
When questioned as to who chopped off Seenauth’s head, the woman said, “Nobody ain’t know. Anybody see? They got nuff enemies around here. It cannot be him (Tappin).”

O skites, no one was charged but Drugb knows the motive and found a  man guilty already.

Pregnant woman, husband, 4-yr-old son escape through window during home invasion

 Aug 08, 2017  News 0 Comments

–    five in custody; shotgun, ganja seized

A nine-month pregnant 26-year-old is nursing minor scratches about her body after herself, husband and their four-year-old son jumped their bedroom window during an armed home invasion and robbery by bandits.

The home that was under attack at Number 69 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice.

Their home, a two-storey wooden edifice at Lot 100 Number 69 Village, Upper Corentyne, was reportedly stormed by armed men with guns and a wallaba post sometime around 23:00 hrs Saturday.

According to reports reaching this publication Vidya Gopaul 26, her husband Satesh Ramrattan, 27, and their young son had retired to bed around 22:30 hrs. The woman shortly after heard a loud noise and voices, and awoke her husband. The husband jumped off their bed and switched on the lights, it was then that they realized bandits had entered their home. The pregnant woman bolted the bedroom door.

The men began banging on the door when Ramrattan, his wife and son jumped from their bedroom window and landed on a neighbour’s shed. By then some of the men had managed to enter the room and fired two shots as the trio ran to safety. They managed to run to Gopaul’s mother’s house, located two lots away from theirs and immediately contacted the police.

The men reportedly ransacked the family’s home in their absence, in search of valuables, and ate and drank during the time spent at the house. They managed to escape with an estimated $1.2 Million in jewellery, US $1000 in cash, a tablet and a cellphone.

Gopaul was taken to the Skeldon Public Hospital for a medical examination and according to reliable sources, herself and unborn child are out of harm’s way and in good health. The couple’s four year sustained minor scratches but is also said to be doing well along with his father. Relatives complained that the police patrol arrived some two hours after the invasion, but according to a police source, the patrol was dispatched immediately after they received the call. While on their way to the village the ranks heard gunshots and decided to exit the vehicle and cordon off the area on foot. Residents in the area reported seeing the police in tactical positions within and around the perimeter of the house. There were reportedly seven perpetrators, all armed.

Meanwhile, police in ‘B’ Division have since made headway into the robbery.

Five suspects are in custody, including a 33-year-old, driver of No. 72 Village, Corentyne, who was found in his vehicle within close proximity of the crime scene. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of a small quantity of cannabis and a search of his premises unearthed an unlicensed shotgun, two spent and one live cartridge.

Investigations are ongoing.

Teens arrested after coke found stashed in gas cylinder

 Aug 08, 2017  News 0 Comments

The cooking gas cylinder and the nine cocaine bricks that were in it

The Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) yesterday said that almost 20 pounds of coke was seized from a Campbellville home. Two teens are also in custody following the raid on Sunday.

According to CANU, its ranks descended on the property at 25 Delph Avenue, Campbellville, on Sunday where during a search they found a cooking gas cylinder that had several suspicious packages in it.

The cylinder seemed to have been adjusted to look normal.

The nine rectangular-shaped objects weighed over nine kilograms (about 20 pounds) and were subsequently tested and confirmed to be cocaine.

CANU said that two 17-year-old who were at the home at the time were arrested and are currently assisting with investigations.

Photographer robbed at gunpoint

 Aug 08, 2017  News 0 Comments

Dwayne Hackett

The police are investigating an armed robbery committed on a photographer Sunday morning just off Vlissengen Road, Georgetown.
Dwayne Hackett, a University of Guyana student, was returning home from his routine morning walk when a lone gunman, on a bicycle, robbed him of $2,200.
Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday, Hackett said that as he was walking, he noticed a man on bicycle coming in the opposite direction and then stopped.
At first glance, the photographer thought that the man had stopped to urinate based on his posture but as he continued walking, he found it strange that someone would want to urinate on a parked car—that too in public.
Little did he know, it was a gun that the cyclist was pulling out from his pocket. Just as Hackett was about to pass the man, he said that the individual turned to him and pointed the weapon at him as he demanded his valuables.
“I heard when he cocked the gun,” the victim said. He then added that he went into his pocket and took out his cash and handed it over to the gunman. The victim had walked with the money to purchase coffee and several other items on his way home.
The gunman collected the cash and according to Hackett, he (Hackett) quickly walked away and did not turn back to see which direction the perpetrator went.
He further noted that when he reached a couple of miles from where he had been robbed, he saw a policeman and approached him for some assistance but was informed that he needed to visit the police station since the rank was there for the presidential entourage heading for the Botanical Gardens.
Hackett said that he continued on his way home, attended church and subsequently made a police report in the afternoon.
Kaieteur News was informed that there are surveillance cameras in the area where Hackett was robbed and the police will be reviewing the footage. Reports also surfaced that the suspect has robbed other persons before in that same area.

Thieves caught on surveillance after robbing boutique

 Aug 09, 2017  News 0 Comments 

Two men, believed to be in their fifties, were captured on surveillance camera just after robbing a Boutique at Saffon and Sussex Streets, Charlestown, Georgetown around 08:00 hrs on Sunday.
The men made off with more than $130,000 in boots and clothing from Lady B’s Fashion owned by Barbara Nedd.
On the footage, they were seen stopping traffic to cross over to Sussex Street and continued walking east towards Lombard Street—this was two minutes after each other. The stolen items were packed in big bags.
One of the thieves has dreadlocks, gray beard, wore a camouflage hat, and faded blue pants and orange jersey with white lining. He had a one strap bag across his back with a large black bag in his left hand.
His accomplice, the one who first left the boutique, wore a pair of blue long pants, grey and white hat, blue pants and jersey. He had one bag slung across his back and another one in his hand as he was seen hurriedly stopping a car to cross the busy road.
Recalling what transpired, Nedd said that she was in her boutique, arranging stocks when the two men entered and immediately fell in love with a few boots she had for sale.
“They ask how much and I say $10,000 and they were like ‘so cheap?’ and the one with the gray beard asked me if I gon give he a discount if he buys all,” Nedd related.
She said that she looked at the “gray beard man” and asked if he could afford to purchase all the boots to which he answered in the affirmative.

The “gray beard bandit” walking away with Nedd’s stocks

The first thief who left the scene

“He said, ‘Lady, I is somebody that got business in Bartica, and Bartica is not like town, is sheer gold people there, and is plenty more things I come to buy once I like it’ so right away I start taking down clothes to show him,” Nedd related.
The woman said that at no point did she think she was falling into a trap, since the men were “old” and she thought that there was no way they were going to rob her.
According to Nedd, the “gray beard” bandit was “supposedly” the businessman, while his accomplice was his worker.
She said that while she was inside the boutique attending to the “gray beard” bandit, his accomplice was outside, packing her stocks into bags.

“The one inside made me think he buying big, so I taking down all the brand name clothes I got and writing down on paper and I giving he bags to pack the things in,” said the woman, who has been operating at that location for more than nine years.
When the clothes became too much to be loaded into bags, the older man asked for a suitcase.
While Nedd was attending to the man, other customers entered the boutique, but she paid little attention to them since she thought, “the Bartica businessman was lottery.”

Barbara Nedd in front of her Boutique yesterday

“When I checked, it came up to $126,000 and he tell me to bring more, that he got more money,” Nedd said, without hesitation, she brought out all her brand name clothes and showed it to the man.
As she was searching for clothing, the woman said that the elderly man went to the front of the boutique and shouted, “Don’t forget the dried shrimp, we got to get it.” She is convinced this was his signal to tell his accomplice to leave.
“He come in back and ask me if I got short pants, because Bartica got regatta, so I tell he I ain’t know about that and he said yes, that I should get the pants because dem ladies gon want look sexy.”
While Nedd was searching for the pants, the suspect escaped with the items. She said that he was packing some stocks in a large bag and some in suitcases—he left the suitcase behind and made off with the bag.
When she noticed the men had escaped with her stocks, she ran to the market but failed to locate them. She subsequently made a report to the Ruimveldt Police Station.

China Harbour engineers robbed at gunpoint

 Aug 09, 2017  China’s Modus Operandi, News 0 Comments

Three engineers attached to China Harbour Engineering Company Limited were robbed at gunpoint around 16:00 hrs on Monday at Massy Supermarket’s parking lot located at Red Road, Providence, East Bank Demerara.
The men were attacked by three bandits, two of whom were armed with handguns. The gunmen made off with three cellular phones and approximately $1.3M in cash.
The victims have been identified as Fang Chu Ling, 38; Jhao Po, 28 and Gi Peng, 26, all Chinese nationals who reside at their company’s location at Lot ‘D’ Timehri, East Bank Demerara.
According to information received, around 09:00 hrs on Monday, Peng collected $1.3M from Chen Wong Xin, the general manager of China Harbour to purchase materials for the company.
Kaieteur News was informed that the three engineers went to a city bank to withdraw additional cash—but in US currency. Reports are that the bank did not have enough foreign currency, so the engineers left and went to New Thriving Restaurant in Massy Supermarket compound to first purchase food, and hours later, groceries from the supermarket. They parked on the western side of the compound. When the men returned to their vehicle, the bandits exited a while Toyota Fielder Wagon and guns were pointed at their victims.
The men retrieved the engineers of their personal valuables and took a yellow envelope with the cash from the passenger seat then made good their escape. They drove away via the East Bank Public Road. Police ranks visited the scene and they will be reviewing surveillance cameras at both the restaurant and supermarket in an effort to identify the suspects.

Cops nab robbery suspect with unlicensed gun

 Aug 09, 2017  News 0 Comments

An intelligence-led operation by ranks of the Guyana Police Force has resulted in the arrest of a couple in a car with an unlicensed 9mm pistol and seven live matching rounds.
The vehicle, a white Toyota Premio, was parked in front of their Daisy Street, South Ruimveldt residence.
Police sources said that the man is 25 and is a suspect in several recent armed robberies. The woman is 22. The vehicle is registered to a Beterverwagting, East Cost Demerara resident.
The suspects are being processed for court.

This kind of prosecution and sentencing would have never happened under the PPP administration.

Gunmen flee with constable’s firearm, customer’s cash at GPL outlet

 Aug 11, 2017  News 0 Comments

– fail to breach cashier area

Gunmen snatched a special constable’s revolver and $37,000 from a customer during a brazen

The security guard with the empty holster. (Safraz Nawaz photo)

robbery yesterday afternoon, at a Guyana Power and Light (GPL) customer service centre at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
But they were forced to abort an attempt to breach the cashier area after alert passersby raised an alarm.
The robbers tied up the special constable and a customer, and fired shots while escaping, but no one was hurt.
The robbers struck at around 14:15 hrs when the GPL service centre was open for business.
Two of the robbers entered and joined the line with other customers.
They seemed unfazed at the fact by the presence of an armed special constable who was on duty at the premises.
Kaieteur News understands that one of the men then requested to use the washroom.
At the same time, his accomplice drew a handgun from his haversack, pressed the weapon to the Special Constable’s head and relieved the rank of his revolver.
The gunman then ordered the constable and customers to lie on the floor.
A third man then entered with plastic cuffs and tied up the constable and a customer Ravindra Singh, a 40-year-old clothes vendor. The men relieved Singh of $37,000.
The bandits then attempted to break into the cashier area, but passersby who saw the commotion raised an alarm.
This caused the robbers to flee the building, while discharging two rounds in the air. The bandits then entered a silver-grey Toyota Allion, with licence plates, HC 6216.
Kaieteur News understands that while the customer service centre has no security cameras, CCTV cameras on other nearby buildings recorded the drama.
A GPL release stated that just after 14:00 hrs, three bandits “stormed our ‘Mon Repos Customer Service Centre in an attempt to rob the Centre.
“The Guyana Police Force (GPF) responded swiftly and foiled the attempted robbery. Customers’ personal belongings that were forcibly handed over were left behind as the bandits fled the scene,” the release stated.
There were no injuries to staffers nor customers.”
According to the statement, Executive Management expressed concern over the threat to the lives of staff and customers.
“Consequently, this centre will be closed tomorrow (today), Friday, August 11, 2017 and Saturday, August 12, 2017.
This Service Centre will be re-opened on Monday, August 14, 2017 for business as usual. GPL regrets the inconvenience caused.
However, the lives of our Staffers and Customers are paramount.”

Bound body of Chinese restaurant owner found in Tuschen premises

 Aug 11, 2017  News 0 Comments

The body of a male Chinese restaurateur was found at a house in the Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, late last evening. The man reportedly operates the Paradise Chinese Restaurant in the bottom flat of the two-storey building.
His body was reportedly found lying at the back of the establishment in the washroom. According to reports reaching Kaieteur News, the body was found with the hands bound behind the back and mouth gagged. The discovery was reportedly made around 22:00hrs. The remains were taken to the Ezekiel Funeral Home.
More details in a subsequent edition.

“Troubled” businessman stabs wife to death, commits suicide

 Aug 12, 2017  News 0 Comments

Stabbed to death: Rhonda Blair and dead businessman: Rudolph Blair

Residents of Cumberland Village, East Canje Berbice, were awoken to the shocking news of the murder of their fellow villager and popular businesswoman, Rhonda Blair.

As the news spread like wildfire across Berbice, many were still trying to come to grips with the tragic reports of the woman’s demise.

The 42-year-old retired teacher and mother of two, was stabbed to death by her 47-year-old husband Rudolph Blair called ‘Rudy’, who, after committing the act, ran to the back of a neighbour’s yard and shot himself. He is said to have also ingested a poisonous substance after fatally stabbing his wife.

The couple who owned a string of Stretch ‘D’ Dollar stores, lived at Lot 91 Coburg Street, Cumberland, East Canje. Police sources have revealed that sometime around 23:00 hrs on Thursday and 00:05 hrs on Friday at the aforementioned address, Rudolph Blair, in a fit of rage and frustration, stabbed his wife multiple times about her body.

He was believed to have been drinking prior to the incident as there were several Stag beer bottles found at the home.

The couple had originally lived together at Cumberland, but after the husband became abusive, his wife left their matrimonial home and sought refuge at a friend Jonelle Dover’s house, in Ithaca Village, West Coast Berbice.

It was between 21:00 hrs and 23:00 hrs on Thursday,  that the businesswoman’s friend, with whom she stayed, spoke with her via cellphone. She had indicated that she was at her place of business, located at Pitt Street, New Amsterdam, and that her husband, Rudolph, requested that she uplift groceries for him.

After some time had elapsed, Dover made calls to her friend’s phone that went unanswered, Dover sensed something was amiss and immediately left her Ithaca home in search of her friend. She made a check at the Rosignol Branch of the Blairs’ business and while on her way, collected the couple’s son, Anthony Blair, and proceeded to the Cumberland property.

Upon arrival at the house, they called out for the woman and her husband but got no response. They then decided to lodge a missing person report at the Reliance Police Station around 23:30 hrs.

Two policemen accompanied Dover and the Blairs’ son back to the couple’s residence. During a search of the premises, Rhonda Blair was found lying on her back in a pool of blood in the yard. She was attired in a green long-sleeved blouse and a floral skirt.

Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner, Paul Williams who was at the scene of the crime, disclosed that it was a joint effort with authorities and relatives of Rudolph Blair in negotiating with him to surrender to police.

“We joined together and negotiated in terms of accessing the area. So I appealed to him; likewise his sisters and his nephew decided that they were going to go ahead and try to convince him to surrender. While going, they discovered his body motionless,” Williams said.

The commander stated that they were pleading with him to come out, but he responded in the negative, “when the relatives were going to go for him, he told them, ‘don’t come, I am okay’. He kept talking for a while until his voice faded and eventually stopped,” the Commander disclosed.

Rudolph Blair was hiding in a neighbour’s yard between some bush, while the area was cordoned off by police. Residents on the scene expressed their shock at the events as they unfolded. Some persons shouted “they always had money problems” and “he shouldn’t ah do this”.

Two shots were reportedly discharged by the businessman, a gunshot wound to his lower left ear and his chest were discovered, with a licensed .32 Taurus revolver lying beside his body.

Meanwhile, a reliable source told Kaieteur News that the businessman had always been threatening to kill himself, with the most recent threat being on Sunday last.

He reportedly confided in the source that he was desirous of selling his Pitt Street business to pay off his outstanding loans that were burdensome to his family. However his wife was not in support of this, she wanted him to keep the business going, even with them being buried in debt. They were reportedly going bankrupt.

He had reportedly told the source, with his licensed revolver in hand, that, “I get a mind fuh kick Rhonda from the step to the gate and kill mehself”.

The source stated that he tried to convince the troubled man that this was not the way to go. He said that Blair seemed normal throughout the week.

Meanwhile, both bodies are currently at the New Amsterdam Hospital Mortuary. A post mortem examination was conducted on Rhonda Blair’s body by government pathologist Vivekanand Bridgmohan, and it was revealed that she died of shock and hemorrhage due to multiple stab wounds about the body. In 2013, the Blairs, after moving from “rags to riches,” opened a $83M Supermarket at Pitt Street New Amsterdam. However, sometime in February 2014, hints of financial problems began to surface.

With a dwindling business, rumours circulated then, that Rudolph Blair had attempted suicide, but he quickly shut down that story, stating that he found solace with his God and would never resort to such.

Cops believe restaurant owner was strangled

 Aug 12, 2017  News 0 Comments

Dead: Lian Jiang

The bound body of a Chinese national that was discovered in the bathroom area of the Paradise Chinese Restaurant at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, on Thursday night, has been identified as 44-year-old Lian Jiang, a father of two.
Jiang’s body was found in the lower flat of the building where he operated a restaurant. He resided in the upper flat.
Investigators suspect that Jiang, who had been running the restaurant by himself, was killed sometime Wednesday night or in the wee hours of Thursday. His remains were only found around 22:00 hrs on Thursday. His mouth was gagged, his hands were tied behind his back with a phone charger and his feet were also tied.
No blood was found at the scene, but there were marks of violence on the victim’s body. His right cheek was swollen. The entire house was ransacked.
Kaieteur News was informed that the bandits gained entry into the restaurant by removing louvre panes from a bathroom window and then breaking the grill.
It is suspected that the men left through the same window, since a chair was found nearby, indicating that they used it to climb out. While the main door to the restaurant was found ajar, the cops believe that the victim might have been selling late.
“If they had escaped through that door then someone might have seen them, so we believe that they went just as they came (entered) because neighbours cannot see that section,” a police rank said yesterday, while adding that they have not determined what the men escaped with as yet.
This newspaper was informed that the restaurant does not have cameras, but an adjacent premises has a surveillance system. “We are hoping that we get something because the way the camera is positioned, it might be a little challenging,” the rank said.
The victim’s wife, who runs another restaurant at Soesdyke, told the police that she last spoke with her husband around 22:00 hrs on Wednesday. When she did not hear from him on Thursday, she called his phone but it went to voicemail.
The woman then asked a male friend in the area to check on him. When the individual went, he called several times but did not get a response. Upon entering the building, the young man noticed the restaurant door was partly open and immediately went to the Tuschen Outpost, from where he was accompanied by ranks.
When they entered the building, the cops noticed the place was ransacked and shortly after, they found the body. No one has been arrested as yet.

Pastor, husband carjacked outside home

 Aug 13, 2017  News 0 Comments

A pastor and her husband were held at gunpoint and forced to hand over their car at around 21:00 hrs on Friday after three armed men confronted the couple and their 11-year-old daughter outside their Industry, East Coast Demerara home.
Edward Skinner, 59, and his wife, Savitri, who is a pastor, were attacked by the men, who had arrived in a white Toyota Allion.
The robbers, and their driver, escaped with the couple’s silver-grey Toyota Premio, PRR 2124, as well as Pastor Skinner’s handbag and cash, which included some of the church offerings. The car also contained some items that the couple had bought at Stabroek Market before heading home.
Mr. Skinner said he was unable to identify the attackers, who wore dark clothing and had toques partially concealing their faces. He confirmed that the family were heading home from the East Bank of Demerara, but had stopped briefly at the Stabroek Market. They then headed to Industry, while travelling along the railway embankment. His wife was driving, but none of them recalled seeing anyone following them.
However, just as they turned into their driveway, the occupants of a white Toyota Allion also stopped a short distance away.
The couple’s daughter came out of the vehicle to open the gate and it was then that three men exited the parked car and held a gun to Mrs. Skinner’s head.
The men then ordered their victims to go into their yard. After they complied, the carjackers entered the vehicle and drove off in both cars in the direction of Georgetown.
While admitting that the family was “shaken” by the incident, Mr. Skinner said that it would not deter them from “doing the work of the Lord,” and they plan to attend a crusade today.