Suspect held in
Courtney Crum-Ewing
assassination
– Crime Chief describes arrest as ‘significant development’
Assassinated: Courtney Crum-Ewing
Four months after he was assassinated with a bull-horn in his hands, police appear to be close to solving the murder of political activist Courtney Crum-Ewing.
Crime Chief Superintendent, Wendell Blanhum, announced yesterday that ranks from the force’s Major Crime Investigation Unit have questioned a suspect in connection with the March 10, 2015 killing that shocked the nation.
Blanhum said that the suspect,
whom he declined to identify,
was contacted and questioned yesterday
and remains in custody.
“We have a new lead…
Investigators are working on a new lead
on the Crum-Ewing case,” the Crime Chief said.
“During the course of today,
ranks from the Major Crime Investigation Unit
conducted an intensive interview with the suspect.”
Declining to say
whether the motive seems to point to
a “political assassination,”
Senior Superintendant Blanhum
noted that the investigation is still
in its “preliminary stage,”
but described the arrest as
“a significant development.”
Contacted last night,
Crum-Ewing’s mother, Donna Harcourt,
said that she too had heard about the arrest.
“I feel good;
I thank God that they are making progress.
I hope that all of them will be brought to justice.
People must not be allowed to kill and go free.”
Crum-Ewing,
a former Queen’s College student and army officer,
was riddled with bullets
on the evening of Tuesday March 10, 2015,
as he stood on Third Avenue in the Diamond New Scheme.
A post mortem revealed that
he was shot thrice in the head
and twice in the chest.
The killer used a .32 pistol and
fired at such close range that
gunpowder burns were left on his victim’s clothes and body.
His assassination occurred as
he used a bullhorn while advocating
for persons in the Diamond New Scheme, East Bank Demerara,
area to support
A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change
(APNU+AFC) coalition
in the May 11 General Elections.
This had prompted many to suggest that
his murder was being politically motivated.
Police had stated that Crum-Ewing
was accosted by four men in a car,
one of whom discharged several rounds,
hitting him about his body.
Detectives had also heard that the activist
had a brief verbal confrontation
with the alleged killer before he was shot.
Crum-Ewing’s relatives have alleged that
he had complained twice of receiving threats.
This occurred when the 40-year-old ex-army officer
began staging his one-man protests,
lasting some 80 days,
outside Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall’s
Carmichael Street office,
while urging the Attorney General to resign
in the wake of a recorded telephone conversation
between himself and a Kaieteur News journalist.
The first threat was reportedly made
by an individual,
who allegedly drove up to Crum-Ewing and said:
“Anil ain’t going nowhere,
so you better go or else…”
On another occasion,
he was reportedly told:
“Crum-Ewing,
you don’t mean to stop this stupidness?”
They said that the protestor
had reported these threats to the police
and identified one of the individuals,
but no action was taken.
Crum-Ewing’s minibus
was also vandalized.
