Jul 08, 2018  

– questions family where they got money from

One of the victims from the Bush Lot home, Devindra Fredricks

A 39-year-old woman and her brother are now in fear after their 51 Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne, Berbice residence was invaded by armed bandits at their lot.
Kowsilla Fredricks, said she was at home with her brother, Devindra Fredricks, 42, and her nine-year-old niece when the men broke into their home and demanded cash and jewellery. Their other brother Keshwar Fredricks who also lives with them was not home at the time of the invasion.
He was reportedly at a birthday party not far away from where they live.
At approximately 2:30 am, Saturday, Kowsilla said she heard a banging on her window in the bottom flat of the two-storey wooden building. She stated that in less than a minute, there was a masked man pointing a gun at her head and two others, one brandishing a cutlass and the other a huge knife.
“They started to demand money and we jewellery and dem tell we, dem na gon harm we. At that moment, I had $10,000 in my handbag and I give it to them but like they didn’t want that because dem throw away the bag and ask for more money,” the woman explained.
According to her, her brother Devindra was in his room while her niece was with her. She said her brother was ordered out of the room by the men. “When he come out, dem tek the knife and lash he pon he back and then dem tek the gun and put it to my niece head and still dem asking for money and jewellery”.
Kowsilla recounted that it was after she saw that they had the gun at her niece’s head then she eventually “give in” and handed over all the money and jewellery she had in her possession.
Kowsilla said she had US $2,400 and $100,000 local currency along with two gold chains, two gold rings, two pairs gold earrings and four gold bangles. A power saw valued at US $100 was also stolen and two flash drives.
The men escaped through the front gate leaving a toolbox and a crow bar behind.
Meanwhile, the police who arrived on the scene shortly after the men escaped, a female rank took Kowsilla and her niece in the upper flat and questioned them.

The home that came under attack.

The window through which the bandits entered.

It was while the nine-year-old was recounting the events that she broke down in tears.
Before the police left, they requested a contact number for them and the child answered and gave the number.
According to the family, the female rank who questioned them earlier shouted towards the child, “When you fa talk upstairs, you dont know but now you know the number”.
This is according to the 39-year-old woman. She also added that the police also told her “this story ain’t sound real”.
They subsequently left and returned some three hours later and began to search their home and questioned them on how they acquired that amount of money that was alleged to be stolen.
“…Dem come and ask me, where me get alla that money from and me tell dem that my mother send money for me from overseas fuh buy plane ticket. And then dem ask me fuh me receipts dem fuh show that me collect the money”.
The family is expressing disgust at the manner in which the police acted and felt as though they were being treated as suspects rather than the victims. “They didn’t even tell us why they searching we place. Dem come and ransack the barrel and so”.