Businesswoman robbed thrice in eight weeks

 Nov 06, 2017  News 0 Comments 

Robbed twice before in two months, Albouystown businesswoman Yasmin Deonauth is now thrice unlucky, after four masked, gun-toting bandits invaded her premises early yesterday morning.
Deonauth, the proprietor of Nesha’s Flowerland, said that the men gained entry to her home by forcing open a window.
The 53-year-old businesswoman, at home with her two daughters, said she was asleep when she was awakened after she heard a door in her home slam.
“At first I did not take it seriously because I thought was my eldest daughter gone to use the washroom.” The woman said that it was after she realised that all the lights in her home were off she decided to look through her bedroom window.
She saw that her neighbour’s lights were on. “At that point I realised that robbers were in my home.”
Deonauth said that she got up to close her bedroom door, and it was then two masked men pointed guns to her face. “It was so scary because my children were in their room.”
Although the intruders warned her to be quiet, Deonauth said she screamed out for her neighbours, and this caused the robbers to flee. She later discovered that they had made off with a drone valued $US 3,000 and $100,000 that was in a piggy bank.
The woman said that robbers first broke into her residence eight weeks ago, but luckily, the family was out at the time.
That time, the robbers gained entry by ripping out an entire wall and damaging the six security cameras that are located around her premises.
“The first time they break into my home, my family and I were out for the weekend. When I return home I saw the entire wall on the ground and all the cameras wire were cut.”

The newly renovated wall that was ripped down

The window that the bandits used to gain entry into the home

The robbers carted off her electrical appliances including a 68 inch television, three 54 inch television sets, and five laptop computers. She added that she reported the matter to the Ruimveldt Police Station and ranks showed up hours later to conduct their investigation.
The woman lamented that the thieves had also made off with her eldest daughter’s bag pack, with all her text books.
Nine days after the first robbery, the woman said that she and her family were at home when robbers gained entry into her home by breaking the lock on a door. This time around, the robbers stole a large sum of cash.
After the traumatic experience of seeing a bandit place a gun to her eldest daughter’s head, she decided to have contractors install grills and a steel door.
The woman noted that after the second robbery her eldest daughter was terrified to be in the home because she was in constant fear. “My daughters were so terrified of staying at home so I decided to take them and stay in a hotel until the house was completely renovated.”

The house which has been targeted

She noted that her family only returned home a few days ago after the contractors told her that the house was more secure.
“Just imagine I am living here for over 50 years and in two months I have been robbed of millions in cash and appliances. The sad thing is that the robbers picked up my nine-year-old daughter’s piggy bank that she was putting her savings in for the past three years and they took a drone that my eldest daughter had purchased for her father’s birthday that cost over US3, 000.”
The woman is calling on the police to do a better job at investigating the home invasions. She alleged that the police showed up three hours after she and her neighbours called. She also claimed that the rank who eventually arrived was very unprofessional did not produce his identification card or give his name.

Four in custody for Number 65 beer garden robbery

 Nov 07, 2017  News 0 Comments

The business spot that the bandits invaded

A senior police source has confirmed with this publication that four men have been arrested in connection with the brazen armed robbery of a Number 65 Village businessman. The men were picked up over the weekend. They are said to be residents of Canje.
Ranks in ‘B’ Division are continuing their investigations.
Just under a week ago, Proprietor of Mike’s Beer Heaven, Krisendatt Hemnauth aka ‘Murphy,’ had his business invaded by five armed bandits.
The men who were all masked, heavily clothed with backpacks, were caught on surveillance footage storming the business and ordering customers to lie on the ground as they searched and demanded them to hand over all that was in their possession at the time.
Hemnauth, who was hit on the head with a gun by one of the men, had told Kaieteur News that he had just secured his main gate when the men barged into his shop filled with customers.
The businessman stated that one of the men, while opening the gate to gain entry into the shop, had stuck his gun through the grill work of the gate while ordering them to lie face down.
The men searched the customers and took away cellphones and cash. Hemnauth’s 21-year-old son, who was also at the shop, was kicked and stomped on by one of the bandits.
The men made good their escape the same way they entered, but not after locking the customers and the proprietor in the shop. A door was also damaged after one of the perpetrators smashed his gun on the locks.
Over $1million was carted off in total along with six cellular phones.

Peacemaker stabbed to death during sibling brawl

 Nov 09, 2017  News 0 Comments

A 27-year-old man was stabbed to death around 15:00 hrs yesterday when he allegedly tried to prevent one brother from stabbing his younger sibling in front of their North Ruimveldt residence.

The 26-year-old suspect being escorted from the murder scene

Dead is Hafeez Douglas, a labourer, also of North Ruimveldt, Georgetown. He was stabbed to the left side of his chest and was pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
The suspect, Jermaine Abel, has since confessed to the crime, claiming that it was self-defence. The murder weapon—an improvised knife—has been lodged.
According to information received, Abel and his brother were fighting when the deceased separated the duo. The suspect’s brother started walking away when he (suspect) reportedly picked up the knife and rushed behind his sibling to stab him.
Douglas allegedly grabbed the 26-year-old suspect and pushed him away. Reports are that the suspect got angry and turned his rage on Douglas, stabbing him to the chest—causing him to fall into a nearby drain.
The suspect then ran to the North Ruimveldt Police Outpost and reported the matter to the police.
Abel’s brother and the victim are said to be friends.
Meanwhile, the victim’s brother, Teon Herald explained that he was at work when he heard that his brother had been killed. “I heard Jermaine picked up the jooker (improvised knife) to stab his brother when my brother pushed him away and he (Jermaine) get vex and stab my brother.”
However, the suspect’s aunt, June Ann Hoyte has a different version of what transpired yesterday.
She explained that her two nephews were fighting with each other since Tuesday night.
“They were fighting Tuesday night and some boys part them. This morning (yesterday) they were fighting and people part them again.”
The woman explained that late yesterday, Jermaine Abel was heading home when his brother’s friend, Douglas confronted him a short distance from the crime scene (suspect’s home).
“They start fighting at the corner and then Jermaine come home and he and his brother started fighting again, when Douglas come with a joker, and he start fighting with Jermaine. I don’t know where Jermaine get the jooker from, but he stab Douglas,” the woman explained.
She said that Douglas did not get a chance to use his knife because it fell into a nearby drain.
Investigations are ongoing.

PNC operative caught in drug bust. Granger trying all types of ways of keeping PNC/AFC fund raising activities goin

ONE of Guyana’s leading swimmers, Earlando McRae, was on Sunday busted with 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine, after landing at the John F Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York.

According to reports, the 28-year-old swimmer arrived in New York on a flight from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), and his suitcase was subjected to a search by the U.S. Custom and Border Patrol (CBP).

It was during the search that the officers noticed that his luggage had false sides, and upon further checks, the 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine were discovered. McRae, was taken to court on Monday, where he was later placed at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, and is awaiting his next court hearing on November 20.
After a hiatus of approximately three years, McRae returned to the pool in April and dominated the Dolphin Inter-Club Swim. In May, the Ocra Swim Club member represented Guyana at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. McRae featured for Guyana at the FINA World Championships in 2013 that was held in Barcelona, Spain, and as a 19 year-old he swam at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

g with the drug trade until oil kicks in. The PNC customs at the airport let him true but the dogs at JFK sniffed him out.

GRA seizes boats with $$$millions in contraband

 Nov 10, 2017  News 0 Comments

The Law Enforcement and Investigation Division (LEID) of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) recently seized millions of dollars worth of smuggled beverages on two trawlers which were making their way from Trinidad and Tobago.

Some of the beverages seized by GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division

The seizure was made in Guyana.
Kaieteur News understands that this seizure is part of a vigorous effort on the part of the revenue authority to stamp out smuggling which has led to the loss of millions of dollars in taxes.
In fact, the Guyana Revenue Authority is expected to roll out an anti-smuggling system by the end of the month. This is according to its Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia.
The tax chief said that discussions had re-commenced with Canadian Bank Note, a company that brought the national lottery. He said that those discussions were aimed at introducing the Stamp System. Statia said that this is in an effort to minimize revenue leakages through the smuggling of alcohol and tobacco.
The need to address rampant smuggling in Guyana is one that was raised by the Tax Reform Commission which was established by the Granger administration. The Commissioners said that Guyana is subjected to major revenue loss from smuggling, not only because of its porous borders but, also, from its wharf operations and ports of entry.
They said that this is especially so for fuel, gold, cigarettes and alcohol, where there are ongoing allegations that collusion and corruption facilitate such tax evasion and revenue leakage.
The officials said, “We understand that the GRA is in the process of acquiring a digital stamping programme for the latter two products at a substantial cost. It is crucial that the GRA avoids the experience of TRIPS which has failed to deliver on its promises and that it ensures that a proper assessment of all the features of programmes is examined and options and avenues considered and evaluated before entering into any contract.”
The tax experts added, “In areas of smuggling, it is known that producers and distributors have a vested interest in reducing such activity, since it reduces their bottom line. Ideally, such parties should have been requested to cooperate with any such a design, rather than having it trusted upon them, as they would be responsible for its implementation.”
The officials said it is recommended that GRA hold consultations with all the players in the field. They said, too, that it is known that digital stamps “in plain sight” are more easily forgeable, than digital markings when so placed in the packaging by producers.

Picture saved as goods one
Caption: Some of the beverages seized by GRA’s Law Enforcement and Investigation Division

Picture saved as two
Caption: One of the trawlers which contained the smuggled goods

Boat operator accused of exploiting Venezuelans for sex

 Nov 10, 2017  Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News 0 Comments

A boat operator who was caught attempting to traffic four Venezuelans for sexual purposes was yesterday remanded to prison.

Remanded to prison Kenneth Simon

Kenneth Simon appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and denied the charge which alleged that on the November 3, last, at Kumu Backdam, Central Rupununi, he recruited, transported and harboured four women for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
The matter was held in-camera.
According to information the women came to Guyana to work and the defendant paid for them to come.
It was when the virtual complainants told the defendant that they wanted to go back to Venezuela, he told them that they would have to engage in sexual activity with him to repay him of the money that he spent for them to come to Guyana.
The prosecutor objected to bail being granted to the defendant and he was remanded to prison.
Simon was instructed to make his next court appearance on November 15 at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court.

High-powered rifle lands city resident behind bars

 Nov 11, 2017  News 0 Comments

A 52-year-old city resident was yesterday remanded to prison after denying an illegal firearm charge instituted against him.
David Nelson, of 190 Church Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and denied the charge which stated that on November 9 at Quamina Street, he had in his possession a .223 AR rifle when he was not a licenced to carry such a weapon.
Nelson was represented by Attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson. The lawyer told the court that his client has been a licenced firearm holder since 2008 and is the holder of a Taurus pistol.
The lawyer added that the rifle was found in his client’s vehicle and at the time of the search, there were multiple occupants in the said vehicle.
Thompson told the court that his client was unaware of the weapon being in his vehicle since it was concealed in layers of plastic and was under one of the car’s seats.
However facts presented by Police Prosecutor Sanj Singh differed from those of Nelson’s attorney.
The prosecutor told the court that on the day in question police acting on information received proceeded to Quamina Street where they conducted a search on Nelson’s vehicle and under the seat they discovered the unlicensed rifle.
Nelson was then arrested and taken to the station where he gave the police a written caution statement accepting ownership of the firearm, saying that he bought it from a Brazilian man, and was in the process of selling it.
Prosecutor Singh strongly objected to bail being granted to the defendant citing the serious nature of the offence and the penalty the charge attracts.
The prosecutor’s objection was upheld and Nelson was remanded to prison.
The father of three was instructed to make his next court appearance on December 1.
Kaieteur News has learnt that the Quamina Street, Georgetown home of a former senior government official under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was searched by ranks from the Guyana Police Force (GPF)’s Major Crimes Unit around 14:30 hrs on Thursday.
Nelson was reportedly working for the former government official. In fact, he was confronted by lawmen in front of the official’s home. The weapon was then discovered under the back seat of his car.
The ranks reportedly received intelligence information and immediately went to the location and arrested Nelson. Based on the information the police have, the suspect was supposed to meet with someone at the location. He is said to have claimed was going to sell the weapon for $6M.
When Nelson was arrested and ranks learnt of the linkage between him and the former government official, they searched the official’s home, but did not find anything incriminating.

Elderly US-based Guyanese robbed of suitcases, cash after leaving airport

 Nov 11, 2017  News 0 Comments

– relative’s stolen car found abandoned in South R/veldt

Two elderly, US-based Guyanese men were robbed at gunpoint of cash and their suitcases on Thursday night in Atlantic Gardens, East Coast Demerara, shortly after arriving here for a vacation. The suitcases contained at least US$5,500, and the victims’ passports and other documents. The robbers also drove off with a car that belonged to a relative who had picked the two men up at the airport.
The men, Winston English, 71, and Albert Smith, 73, of Brooklyn, New York, and their relative, Munroe English, 63, of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara, were forced to lie on a roadway while a gunman and an accomplice made off with their valuables.
Kaieteur News understands that Munroe English had picked up the two US-based men at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, at around 22.45 hrs on Thursday. He then took them to an Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara residence to drop off one of their suitcases.
Albert Smith exited the car and dropped of the suitcase. Munroe English then drove further up the street to turn the car around. He had driven to the end of a street when a white car, with two occupants, blocked his path. A man wearing a baseball cap exited that vehicle, pointed a gun at the three men, and ordered them to lie on the roadway.
While the victims complied, the bandit drove off with the car, which contained other suitcases, cash, travel documents and valuables.
The car, a Toyota Allion, was found yesterday morning partly submerged in a trench in Caneview Avenue, South Ruimveldt.
The suspects are still at large.

Manipulation of Gold Board records…Staffers sent home “admitted” signing fabricated documents

 Nov 11, 2017  News 0 Comments

Officials of the State-controlled Guyana Gold Board (GGB) are insisting that the systems there, though far from perfect, are working.
The reassurance would come one day after news broke that the accountant, Rosanna

Gold Board’s Chairman, Gabriel ‘GHK’ Lall; GM (ag), Eondrene Thompson and Stacy Weever, the entity’s Legal Officer (ag), at the press conference yesterday.

Ramnarine, and a clerk, Deborah Forbes, were both sent home recently, amid alleged manipulation of records to raise the purity value of gold sold.
Investigations are continuing and a police probe has not been ruled out.
Gathered yesterday for a press conference on the incident, at the Ministry of Natural Resources boardroom on Brickdam, were GGB’s Chairman Gabriel Lall; General Manager (ag), Eondrene Thompson and Legal Officer (ag), Stacy Weever.
According to Lall, the entity had sent home the two workers amid investigations ongoing, with some financial irregularities surfacing.
The official made it clear that the documentation is thorough, with the evidence “persuasive” and “comprehensive”.
From evidence seen, it is believed that millions were paid out for gold that was of low purity levels.
Using fabricated assay results which speak of purity levels of gold sold, the two staffers alleged oversaw a scheme where the levels were raised and hence more monies were paid out.
According to Thompson, the curiosity of GGB was raised after a miner, who had a track record of gold of high purity, complained. That happened over a month ago.
An internal investigation saw the GGB’s systems being “combed,” starting as far back as January 1, 2017.
To ensure that evidence was not tampered with, a decision was made to send the two staffers home.
According to the officials, several false assay reports were found with the signatures of the two staffers. The duo “admitted” that the signatures belonged to them.
It was explained that Gold Board uses a number of systems including certification from its labs, from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and from the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM). The latter is the company that refines the yellow metal for the GGB. Some miners have been using RCM to certify the purity of gold sold and that has been accepted as a trusted process, reporters were told.

NOT COMPROMISED
According to Lall, no miners’ gold could have been compromised as representatives are present when their gold is being processed at GGB – so opportunities for wrongdoing are almost non-existent at that stage.
According to the acting GM, the Gold Board’s system allows for miners’ profiles to be tracked…this means that the entity is aware of which of the miners are bringing high quality gold and from which area.
“We found a situation where one client’s assay is in his name. He usually has a high percentage and the results came back as a lower payout factor. When that result came back it was lower than his usual, it’s contrary to his profile. So, we decided to investigate it.”
Lall, who said he takes responsibility and that the situation has to be corrected, was harsh about the current GGB’s system which he described as “benign” and “open-ended”.
The two staffers have been there for decades, with others aware of the shortcomings in the system, the Chairman disclosed.
With tough anti-money laundering regulations, and especially with a major ongoing investigation into irregularities earlier this year, GGB doesn’t want a recurrence of what happened before. There has been a heightened state of awareness with enhanced risk mitigation systems in place, and they are working, Lall insisted. He made it clear that the entity is working to bring improvement, clarity and transparency, but there must also be confidence.
Responding to questions about the cooperation of the two staffers, the Chairman would only say that what was presented to the staffers was “agreed to”.
Speaking about reported recommendations made in the past to further tighten GGB’s systems, an upset Chairman said that he was angry about what he inherited.
The special system, for which tens of millions of dollars were paid, is only “half” working. In fact, Lall said that when he raised the matter with an official, a complaint was filed against him to a Minister for allegedly threatening the official.
Lall admitted that persons were familiar with the weaknesses of Gold Board systems or as he described it…the “unchanging nature”. He also disclosed that persons, especially in the Accounts Department of GGB, would be aware of the limitations of the system.
Already, the Chairman said, he has notified RCM of the issue.
Gold Board has over 200 miners on its database who transacts business.
With regards to the evidence against the two staffers, Lall said that it is “pretty conclusive” and “pretty convincing”.

This used to happen quite often PNC part one. It is getting worse under PNC part two.