One day after killing two gunmen and capturing another wanted for a number of murders, members of the security forces yesterday returned to the East Coast communities of Buxton and Friendship, arresting at least two other men while conducting searches.
Residents told Stabroek News via telephone yesterday that the villages were still tense after Tuesday morning’s shoot-out and although there was no confrontation between gunmen and the joint services, residents moved about with some degree of apprehension.
According to one man around nine jeep-loads of soldiers were seen patrolling the villages late yesterday afternoon. The man said that the ranks drove along Brushe Dam, Friendship where some of them exited the vehicles and searched the homes of a few residents. They spent close to one hour patrolling before leaving with two men in the tray of their vehicles. It is not clear who the arrested men are or why they were taken into custody.
The joint services had intensified their activities in Buxton since September after reportedly receiving information that a number of the gunmen who had fled the village had returned.
On Tuesday members of the joint services shot and killed Orlando Andrews called ‘Bullet’ and Noel James called ‘Baby’, both of Friendship, ECD. They also captured another wanted man, David Zammett or David Leander known as `Biscuit’. The police said that wanted bulletins were published for Zammett and Andrews in relation to investigations into the murder of Agriculture Minister Satyadeow Sawh and his siblings. Zammett is also wanted by the police in relation to investigations into the murder of Anson Melville at Friendship on 2004-01-11; the murder of William Adams called “Grego” at Friendship on 2004-08-02; and attempted murder committed on Randy Joseph at Friendship on 2004-10-04.
In a statement the police said that around 10 am Tuesday joint services ranks came under fire from a group of armed men along Brushe Dam, Buxton. The ranks returned fire, fatally wounding Andrews who was hit in the right side of his chest, while the others managed to escape. The statement continued that around 1.30 pm the ranks cordoned off a house at Brushe Dam and while in the process of searching it came under fire from Noel James. Again the ranks returned fire, hitting James about his body. An unlicensed .38 Taurus revolver along with five spent shells were recovered by the ranks. James was only recently released from prison after serving a sentence for larceny, the police said. Andrews had been charged by the police for the murder of Troy Phillips on 2004-12-05 at Church of God road, Buxton. He was also charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on Dennis Daniels at Annandale, ECD, on 2005-07-11. In both matters arrest warrants for Andrews were issued by the courts, the police said, adding that Andrews was wanted for questioning by the police in relation to the murder of Anson Melville at Friendship on 2004-01-11; the murder of Davechan Appanna at Section ‘B’, Non Pariel, ECD, on 2004-08-17; and the murder of schoolgirl Christine Sukhra at Coldingen, ECD, on 2004-08-28.
Residents had expressed their disgust over the manner in which the operation was carried out and yesterday’s visit by the security forces again unnerved many. A relative of Andrews told Stabroek News yesterday that the police have been hunting her since Tuesday. She reported that she was in the city yesterday morning when joint services ranks visited her Vigilance Squatting Area home after kicking down the door of a house next door to her. She said a number of children were in the home and the lawmen took them to her house and questioned them about her whereabouts. The woman said that while she is the aunt of Andrews and James she did not communicate with them and as such she finds it strange that the police were coming after her. “I am not involved in any criminal activities
