Second person held over brazen Mahdia robbery

Police in Mahdia have arrested a second person in connection with last Saturday’s brazen multi-million robbery at the Brazilian-owned Excel Minerals Inc.

Divisional Commander David Ramnarine when contacted yesterday would only say that two persons are in custody in connection with the armed robbery. He did not give details about the robbery when asked by this newspaper, only saying that a “large amount of cash and a large amount of raw gold” were taken by the two bandits who invaded the office.

A source had told this newspaper that the gunmen pounced just before lunchtime just after the security guard had left his post to use the washroom. There were at least three persons keeping watch outside.

This newspaper had been told that two employees were in the locked office when they heard persons speaking Portuguese.  Thinking that it was his fellow countrymen, one of the employees reportedly opened the door and was confronted by the gunmen.