Soldier shot in Corentyne operation

A Guyana Defence Force (GDF) private was shot on Thursday night during a confrontation between members of the Joint Services and armed men at the No. 19 Village, Corentyne.

The private, Leon Hughes of Belladrum, West Coast Berbice is now a patient of the New Amsterdam Hospital while four men are in police custody and ranks were able to recover an unlicensed 9mm pistol with matching rounds and a motor car which was transporting the armed men.

A release from the police said that while the Joint Services ranks were conducting an operation in the No. 19 Village they observed three men disembark from a motor car which then drove off. The release said that the ranks challenged the three men who opened fire. The ranks returned fire during which the private was shot in the region of his left armpit.

According to the release the three men were subsequently arrested and the firearm and ammunition were recovered while follow-up investigations led to the arrest of the driver of the vehicle that transported the man.