The police are under pressure to solve at least a dozen murders, a bizarre shooting and the unexplained death of a high-profile murder accused, all over the last 12 months or so, though the motive in many of these cases remains uncertain and suspects were held and later released.
The solving of high-profile crimes, especially murders, has always been a challenge for the police and Crime Chief Seelall Persaud earlier this year had attributed this to the force’s limited forensic capacity, lack of cooperation from witnesses and the public and the exodus of experienced officers.
The force’s biggest challenge to date appears to be the recent discoveries of the gutted bodies of three men. The bodies suspected to be missing crew members of the Island Princess – Ryan Chin, Titus Buckery Nascimento and Mahendra Singh called `Sunil’ — washed up at various locations in Essequibo River. There were four sailors aboard the vessel and there has been no word on the fourth man, suspected to be Rickford Bannister.
Because of the decomposing state of the bodies they were immediately buried but relatives of Chin, Nascimento and Singh have identified a tattoo, a cellular phone and other items recovered with the bodies.
However, days later the bodies were exhumed and DNA samples taken to help confirm their identities. Because Guyana lacks the relevant facilities, the samples are to be sent overseas for testing. This was also done for the Lindo Creek massacre and to date the authorities in Jamaica where they were sent are yet to release those results.
Why the men were murdered is a question that seems to have no answer, though some security sources have told this newspaper that the vessel the men were on may have been caught up in a drug deal, which led to the violent murders.
Contact with the vessel had been lost about a week prior to the discoveries. The vessel which was found drifting off the coast of Grenada last Monday is currently being processed by the police on that island. Local police are awaiting its arrival here to commence investigations with the hope that some clues may be found.
Following the disappearance of the vessel and the subsequent discoveries of the bodies, police said they had approached Interpol and the US DEA for assistance.
Under fire
A car transporting a group of Muslims to masjid came under heavy gunfire on August 30 leaving one of its occupants, Wayne Smith, nursing serious injuries to his shoulder.
Two of the survivors were adamant that it was a clear case of mistaken identity since none of them had any issue with anyone.
Smith who spent some time in hospital after undergoing surgery to remove the bullet, has since expressed the belief that the case will remain unsolved, contending that the police are showing no interest.
Though there were no leads, the police had said that investigators had received information and were pursuing specific leads.
A suspect is yet to be charged and the motive for the attack is still unclear.
Smith, Denis Edwards, his cousin Winston Edwards called Abdullah Muhammed and Omali (only name given) were on their way to a mosque in Ruimveldt to pray when they came under heavy gunfire. At the time of the incident Smith was driving, Winston was in the front passenger seat while the other two were seated at the back.
From all accounts, a gunman ambushed the car jumping from behind a Canter truck parked at the side of the road and opened fire. The four occupants suspected that the man was armed with an AK 47. After he ran out of bullets, according to reports, an accomplice walked up to the car and fired two more shots inside. Smith told this newspaper that during the ordeal they were praying aloud and at the end of it he and Winston Edwards were injured. Sixteen 7.62 x 39 and one .32 spent shells were found at the scene, the police said.
Unclear circumstances
Two businessmen were killed in July and June respectively under unclear circumstances and the motive/s for their murders remains unknown to investigators.
Ramzan Ali was discovered dead in the trunk of his rental car which was found abandoned along the Coldingen Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara on July 12.
A plastic bag was duct taped over his head. A post-mortem later revealed that he died as a result of asphyxiation due to suffocation compounded by severe blunt trauma to the head.
There has been no breakthrough in this investigation and investigators are still baffled as to what may have led to the man’s murder.
Though no one was charged several persons were grilled.
Then in June, another businessman Thakur Persaud, was riddled with bullets by unknown men on the UNAMCO trail and it is suspected that he was shot at close range. During the incident, the gunmen stole nothing. Persaud along with four others had been charged after 100 kilogrammes of cocaine which was found at a house in Enterprise, East Coast Demerara in May 2007. He was later exonerated of the charges
Speaking to Stabroek News following the incident Devi was not optimistic that the killers would be found.
Biscuit
Three months after murder accused David Leander also known as ‘Biscuit’ and David Zammett died from suspected poisoning, there is no word from the police on the results of the toxicology samples that were taken from his body.
Leander was at the time before the court charged with the murders of Minister Satyadeow Sawh, two of his siblings and his security guard.
A close relative had said that she had no confidence in the force making any results public adding that the man’s death came as a great shock as they (the relatives) were looking to have him exonerated so that he could leave the country and start a new life.
The woman had recounted that during his last three court appearances, she had noticed that he was losing weight rapidly and it was during this time that he informed her of his poor health.
Leander had complained of feeling unwell and of being unable to sleep.
The man died on July 24, days after he was admitted to the Georgetown Hospital. A post-mortem examination failed to determine how he died.
Keith Bowen
Why Sheriff Taxi driver Keith Bowen was dumped on Sussex Street, West La Penitence after being shot and his car stolen in March is still baffling.
Robbery was ruled out as the man’s car was found intact the following morning.
Bowen, a resident of First Street, Vigilance, East Coast Demerara was found near the entrance to the `Island’ at West La Penitence bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound.
Police were called to the scene and they took the still breathing man to the Georgetown Hospital where he later died.
Residents had reported that a white car stopped briefly on the dark road and an explosion was heard shortly after. The car subsequently drove off. An elderly woman passing near the area was the first to see him and raised an alarm.
The police last reported that there are no new developments in the case.
No breakthroughs
The firearm which was stolen from Muneshwar Pargass who was murdered at his Letter T home in January was found in the possession of the men who kidnapped a Mahaicony rice farmer, a month ago. However there was no breakthrough in the Letter T case at the man’s wife failed to identify a suspect during an identification parade.
According to the police, the man and his wife were alerted that something was wrong when they heard their dog barking. The husband went to investigate and shortly after his wife heard a loud explosion and her husband of ten years screaming.
She was later confronted by three men, two of whom were armed with guns and the other with a cutlass. They tied her up and then took away cash, jewellery and the shotgun.
The woman eventually managed to free herself and upon checking she found that her husband had been shot and killed, a bullet piercing his chest.
Hairdresser murder
What appeared to a be a robbery which became violent, but what relatives believe was a well-planned murder, left 25-year-old Shenese Richardson-Austin with around 13 stab wounds. The woman bled to death.
The West Ruimveldt hairdresser was the only person beaten and stabbed in an attack at her mother’s home on December 15 last where she returned to live about four months before her death, escaping abuse at the hands of her husband, who she had also accused of infidelity.
A man had gone to the family’s home at around 11 that night to purchase cigarettes and when the woman’s sister turned around while serving him, the man barged into the house. Three other men soon joined him. The men had guns and three of them were masked. They escaped with jewellery, Richardson’s phone and a substantial amount of cash, but not before beating her and stabbing her even though she offered no resistance, her relatives recounted. The woman’s husband, who had threatened her many times, was arrested but subsequently released by the police.
Raphael Piggott
Another baffling case and one suspected to be drug related was the execution-style shooting of clothes vendor Raphael Piggott.
Piggott was shot by a lone gunman on November 8 last as he was about to drop off a friend – Vincent Da Costa — at his Sixth Street, Cummings Lodge home. The gunman then fled the scene in a car while the wounded Piggott was subsequently pronounced dead at a city hospital.
Police found US$14,041 and 1,100 euros in the vehicle and later revealed that eight packets of cocaine weighing eight kilogrammes were found concealed in the fuel tank of the vehicle, forcing them to conclude that the murder was drug related. Piggott’s relatives have maintained though that he was not involved in any illegal activities.
Alicia Foster
Although the police questioned several persons over the murder of Environmental Protection Agency employee Alicia Foster who was shot at point blank range on October 12 last, the case remains unsolved.
Foster was sitting in her car waiting for her sister to open the gate to their David Street, Kitty home around 10 o’clock that night when she was approached by a man who demanded that she exit the car and shot her after she allegedly refused. The man then dragged her out and drove away in the car while his accomplice fled the scene. The car was found the next day abandoned in North Ruimveldt. Observers and relatives have doubted that the killing was as a result of a carjacking or robbery.
Among the other cases that the police are yet to make an arrest in are the murders of Vanburn Allicock in January this year, Neville Mellville in February and Vivian Walker in December last. These killings were reportedly sparked by disputes. In one instance a wanted bulletin was issued for the suspect and in another, relatives of the victim had expressed fear that the man may leave the country.
