Gunmen shoot fisherman , rob vendor at Meadow Bank Wharf

Gunmen early Sunday morning hit the Meadow Bank Wharf, Greater Georgetown, robbing a fish vendor of a quantity of cash and shooting a fisherman.

According to Police Public Relations Officer Ivelaw Whittaker, the incident occurred around 04:15h. The injured man was identified as 47-year-old Pooran Singh of Unity, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and the robbed vendor, 49-year-old Omar Esau of Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

Guyana Times was made to understand that Esau, who frequents the Wharf, was sitting in his grey motor vehicle when he was confronted by two men. One of the men was armed and put the gun to the vendor’s head. They then ordered the man to hand over the cash, which he did. The men also relieved him of his cell phone.

As the gunmen were making their escape, they discharge a round which went in the direction of Singh and grazed his abdomen.

Speaking to this newspaper, an eyewitness Mark (only name given) said that he was not sure what really transpired, noting that no one knew that the men had robbed Esau until after the shot was fired.

“We de standing going about we business and then all we hear is a gunshot and everybody get startled, cause we didn’t know what happen then we see a man (Singh) start holler, holding his belly,” the man related.

Mark further stated that it was then they learnt that two gunmen had robbed someone. He noted that the injured man was assisted by public-spirited citizens who took him to seek medical attention. He was treated and sent away.

The Police have since launched an investigation into the robbery and subsequent shooting.