A 37-year-old pastor is now in Police custody following an accusation made against him by a female member of his congregation, who alleged he raped her at his Diamond, East Bank Demerara home last month.
According to information received, the man, who is said to be attached to a full gospel church, had provided counselling to the young adult and her mother two years ago, after the passing of a loved one.
However, the young lady told Police that the pastor invited her to his home where she was stripped, pushed onto the bed and was sexually violated.
Guyana Times understands that the man committed the act on several occasions, but the victim was threatened hence she did not lodge a complaint with the Police. After the last encounter, the victim came forward and confided in the Police.
She reportedly told detectives that before committing the act, the pastor would drink a Guinness and perform a ritual before raping her.
Apart from the young woman, another church member reportedly told detectives that she ended her relationship with the pastor after his wife found out about the affair, but the pastor continues to stalk and make sexual advances towards her.
Police have since launched an investigation into the matter.

A POLICE constable is receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) after being accidentally shot in his upper right arm by one of his colleagues on Tuesday. His condition is considered stable.

Reports indicate that a robbery suspect was apprehended at Leopold and Breda Streets, Charlestown, about 15:30hrs and residents in the area turned out in their numbers, resulting in confusion that caused the alleged robber to flee.

Back-up was summoned and two armed policemen began chasing the suspect, when the one of the officers in pursuit stumbled, resulting in his M70 rifle falling onto the ground and a round being discharged, hitting his colleague who was ahead of him.

This resulted in the alleged robber making good his escape. The police are investigating the incident.

–relieves delivery boys of ‘petty-cash,’ valuables

TWO unsuspecting Guyana Beverages Inc. employees were robbed by a lone gunman on Tuesday morning at Ingrid’s Grocery at Lot 338 Lamaha Park, Georgetown.

The incident reportedly occurred at around 09:40hrs, and according to the owner of the small shop, Ingrid Kennedy, the beverage people had just arrived to take her orders and were about to go get the stock when the man pulled out a gun and relieved them of whatever little ‘petty-cash’ they had on them, as well as their wallets and cellphones.

According to one of many eyewitnesses, the bandit had the gun hidden under his shirt.

On seeing that, the shop owner began shouting, “Thief! Thief!” But by that time, the gunman had already got what he was after and made good his escape on a CG motorcycle which was being ridden by an accomplice.

Ms Kennedy said that from the time she laid eyes on the strange young man, she somehow knew he was up to no good.

And her hunch proved right when he whipped out the gun; but the poor delivery boys were too traumatised to put up a fight and just handed over the goodies.

The Guyana Beverages Inc. yesterday confirmed that two of their employees called in to report that they had been robbed, but was unsure of the amount, since they had not returned to the office and were said to be with the police.

In response to calls for help from Lamaha Park residents, Head of the Forensic Laboratory, Superintendent Philip Azore himself turned up on the scene, while ranks were dispatched to hunt down the two criminals, who were observed riding round and round following the robbery as if they were not yet satisfied with the day’s “pickings” and were in search of more easy prey.
And, as luck would have it, within hours the police were reporting that one of the two suspects had been arrested and is assisting with the investigation.

They’ve also reported impounding two CG motorcycles, one of which was allegedly involved in the hold-up.

The two victims were able to positively identify the motorcycle as the one that was used in perpetrating the robbery that morning.

Frustrated residents gathered at the shop following the incident told the Guyana Chronicle that they cannot sleep at nights for fear of being robbed.

Just recently, the home of Ministry of the Presidency’s photographer, Ms Sandra Prince, was broken into, and important documents among other valuables were carted off.

Residents say the area has seen a series of break-ins lately, mostly at nights, by what appears to be a well–organised gang of criminals. Many are afraid to be on the streets after dark, as almost every night there’s a hold-up.

Superintendent Azore told the Guyana Chronicle that following a community meeting with Lamaha Park residents two Sundays ago, the police have been doing some work in the area, including regular mobile patrols.

He told residents on Tuesday that based on information garnered, the bandits who operate in the area are being harboured by a few bad eggs in the community, and urged them to remain vigilant and report all incidents of criminal activities, since the police can only do so much.

He is expected to hold another community meeting with residents shortly.

A gang inclusive of a Guyanese man and two Barbadian women who were busted with some $625,000 worth of cocaine were jointly charged Tuesday in Barbados.
The Guyanese, 34-year-old Kwanza Canterbury, was charged, along with Barbadian entertainer Betty Griffith-Payne, 38, of Lot 8 West Terrace Heights, St James and her 35-year-old sister Marie Alexa Griffith, of Phillips Road, Cleavers Hill, St Joseph.

The charge against the three stated that between November 7 and 10 at West Terrace Heights, St James, and Mason Hall Street, St Michael, Barbados, they had in their possession 12 kilograms of cocaine with intent to supply, traffic and conspire to traffic.
The Bajan women, however, had another charge of ‘handling the cocaine’ brought against them.
Canterbury, who was also found with cannabis weighing one kilogram valued at Bds$8000, had that additional charge instituted.

A 26-year-old police constable stationed at the Turkeyen Police Station was robbed of his valuables by an armed bandit Tuesday night at Stabroek Market Square, Georgetown, in the vicinity of the Digicel Booth.

Reports indicate that the policeman was robbed of over $50,000. Investigations revealed that he was walking south, through the Stabroek Square when the robber, who was standing between two vehicles blocked his way, demanding he hands over his valuables.

The suspect then took out a weapon from his waist, pointed it at the victim and relieved him of the cash.

In the process, he dealt the victim a lash to his left ear and made good his escape along Water Street; no shot was fired. Police are continuing their investigations.

A Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke/Linden Highway business was on Thursday afternoon robbed of $634,000 in cash, $50,000 worth of phone cards, and four mobile phones after three unmasked and armed men barged into the entity.
Police reports indicate that the bandits entered the R&T Variety Store and demanded cash and other valuables as they held the owners at gunpoint.
However, during the ordeal, the elderly woman managed to escape the bandit’s clutches and ran next door to a neighbour’s home where she raised an alarm and sought refuge.
However, her elderly husband was severely beaten. The bandits dragged the man to the house where the men continued the assault him while demanding valuables. After some time, the men ransacked the house and found the money.
Before leaving, the men snatched the phone cards and escaped in a waiting silver grey Toyota Premio.
The matter was reported to the Police and an investigation was launched.

TWENTY-seven-year-old, Fazel Haniff, a mason of Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara (ECD), is nursing a gunshot wound in the region of his stomach at a private city hospital.
According to the police, Haniff was shot by his friend, Ron Robertson, after he accused him of having an affair with his wife.

The incident reportedly occurred at around 21:00hrs on Friday night at the victim’s home.
Police sources say that Haniff had reportedly picked up a knife and turned to speak with his wife, when the assailant whipped out a gun and shot him before making good his escape.

The police have since launched a manhunt for Robertson. They’ve also recovered a live .32 round and a .32 spent shell at the scene of the shooting.
Haniff, meanwhile, is said to be in a stable condition.

Police are investigating the robbery of G Sridat Service Station at Lot 1 New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD), which left staff members traumatised but thankful for their lives.
According to information, around 18:15h on Saturday, two men, one armed with a gun, placed the night shift pump attendant and two security guards to lie face down and took their cell phones along with approximately $50,000 in cash before making good their escape.

The pump attendant, Raja (only name given) told Guyana Times that he was at the other end of the gas station selling diesel when one of the men entered the premises, while the other was on the road, and began enquiring about the price of lubricants. He added that the man first approached the security guards who told him to wait, since they were unaware of the prices.
“He wait till me come here to ask me, but me tell he to wait that me have two cars to sell and when me done sell the two cars, the other man on the road come in and he take out the gun and put the two watchman to lie down on the bench. Then the other one come and grab me hand and take me on the bench too and them clean me (money from pocket) out,” he related.
“The man them take about $40-$45,000 from me and them take one cell phone from the watchman and some money. It had a customer there that them man take $5000 from and he cell phone then them run out,” Raja added.
The man further stated that he has been working at the gas station for approximately five years and this was the first time that the facility has been robbed. He added that the entire ordeal lasted a mere five minutes.
He told this publication that the men were of African descent and medium build, while one was tall and the other short. Additionally, he said that it was the first time he saw the men, but he could identify them if they crossed paths again.
The Police also came in for some criticism since they demanded that the gas station be closed and the attendant venture to the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station to make a report before the commencement of their investigation. The pump attendant related that he denied the request and the Police arrived on the scene approximately 30 minutes after the ordeal.
The Police say that their investigations are ongoing.

BANDITS on Saturday stormed the South Ruimveldt-based Ultimate Image Unisex Beauty Salon, robbing the employees of over $100,000 in cash and electronics.

According to a report from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), two men who were masked entered the salon around noon and with the use of a gun, robbed Charis Hazel, 40, a hairdresser and two other women– Wonda Mundy and Pauline Swan.

A sum of $68,700 in cash along with a Samsung J7 cellular phone were taken from one of the victims, while Mundy and Swan were relieved of cash amounting to $16,000 and $25,000, respectively.

The report further stated that the robbers, after committing the crime, made their escape through a manhole at the southern side of the premises.
The police have confirmed that an investigation into the robbery is ongoing and a manhunt has been launched for the suspects.

ARMED with a handgun and a knife, two bandits on BMX bicycles on Sunday robbed a 47-year-old security guard on the Rome Access Road at Mc Doom, East Bank Demerara.

The man, who lives at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, was on his way to work when the incident occurred.
He told the police that it was around 20:00hrs when it happened, and that all he knew was that he felt a chuck from behind.
He said that it was after falling to the ground that he saw the men, who were still on their bicycles.

As he lay there, the man said, he saw one of the men `whip out’ a black handgun and the other a knife, and together they demanded that he give them whatever money he had on him and his cell-phone.

They also rummaged his pockets and relieved him of other personal belongings before making good their escape.
He estimates he has lost close to $97,000 in valuables

A 66 year old pastor of Haslington, East Coast Demerara was on Wednesday robbed of $1.8M in cash on Church Street, Georgetown, in the vicinity of Assuria Insurance by three bandits.

The pastor was identified as Eldon Anderson. According to reports, the victim left his North Haslington home about 08:45hrs with $400,000 in his possession, using motor vehicle PVV 3830. He then visited a city bank where he withdrew $1.4M which was to be sent overseas.
Upon visiting a bank on Camp Street to send the money, the pastor was told that he needed additional information before the transaction could have been honoured.

The pastor who was hesitant to leave the bank with the money, left the bank and was driving in the vicinity of Church Street when a silver grey Toyota Spacio reversed into the rear of his vehicle.

Upon exiting his vehicle to inspect the damage, the two armed men reportedly approached the pastor with guns pointed at him, demanding the money which was in his vehicle.
The pastor was assaulted and his car was searched. Upon finding the cash, the bandits discharged a round in the air before escaping in their vehicle. Police recovered a spent shell from the scene.

Investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, a contractor was also robbed after visiting a bank in Diamond, East Bank Demerara on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Richard Maughn. After withdrawing $400,000 from the bank, Maughn was accosted on the public road in front of the bank by armed bandits. Police are requesting CCTV footage, as investigations continue.

…ranch owner flees from police

A cattle farmer who owns a ranch in the backlands of Bloomfield Village, Corentyne, Region 6 fled with his employees on Sunday last (November 19) upon seeing a party of Police approaching; but one of his workers, a 27-year-old labourer of Tain Settlement, Corentyne, has been apprehended by the Police and is currently in custody assisting with investigations.
The police say they had gone to the Bloomfield ranch after cattle farmer Nandkishore Tagram of Number 62 Village, Corentyne, Berbice had gone to the Number 62 Police Outpost on Friday last (November 17) and lodged a report that forty (40) head of his cattle, including calves branded with his registered brand — DON14 – had gone missing after they were left to graze outside of his ranch at Number 62 Village Backlands.
Acting on information received, Police then proceeded to the Bloomfield ranch in the company of Tagram, but the ranch’s owner prevented the police party from gaining entry to the ranch to check if the animals were there.
As such, on the following day, a larger party of police ranks returned to the Bloomfield ranch, owned by a resident of the neighbouring village of Letter Kenny, Corentyne; and on seeing the officers, the owner and some workers fled.
According to the police in a statement, “twenty-three (23) of the missing cows, including three (3) calves, eighteen (18) of which bore the victim’s brand number, were recovered at the ranch.”
The owner of the Bloomfield ranch is currently being sought by the police.

A 17-year-old robbery suspect was on Wednesday morning recaptured by ranks in A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara), some three days after he escaped from Police custody.

The teenager, who resides at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was charged with four counts of armed robbery and was scheduled to appear before a magistrate earlier this week, when he escaped from a city Police station on Sunday last.
However, about 10:50h on Wednesday, the robbery suspect was recaptured at Middle Road, West La Penitence, inside a hire car. A search of his person revealed a .40 Smith and Wesson Pistol without any ammunition.
The teenager was taken into custody, He is being processed for court. Additionally, the 35-year-old hire car driver, of South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown, was also taken into custody and was assisting with the investigation.
Meanwhile, the probe which was launched into the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s escape is ongoing.

Ranks in A Division (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara) arrested a Sophia, Greater Georgetown resident after he was found in possession of an illegal firearm along with matching ammunition.

The incident occurred during an intelligence-led operation on Wednesday morning at D Field, Sophia.
The vendor was found in possession of an unlicensed revolver and four live matching rounds.
The 28-year-old suspect of D Field, Sophia Reserve was taken into custody and was being processed for court.