Ex-cop wanted over Robb St murder surrenders

-rifles found near home

Ex-policeman Otis Grant, who was wanted for questioning about the murder of 72-year Clementine Fiedtkou-Parris, on Tuesday turned himself over to police, who later found two rifles near his home.

Grant’s surrender came hours after another man, Roy Jacobs, 34, was charged with the June 30, 2011, murder of Fiedtkou-Parris in an arrangement for money.

Police, who did not identify Grant, said yesterday that he turned himself in at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, accompanied by his lawyer at about 7:30pm. Subsequent investigations led to a search on a building under construction at Beterverwagting, on the East Coast of Demerara, during which a .22 rifle and a .243 rifle were found, police added.

Up to press time, he was still in police custody.

Grant’s lawyer Glen Hanoman last evening told Stabroek News that he took his client to the police on Tuesday, after police visited Grant’s Beterverwagting home asking for him.

According to Hanoman, his client was not at home at the time and on hearing of the police’s visit, he immediately sought counsel. He said that after Grant had turned himself in, police took him back to his house, where a search was conducted. Nothing, according to Hanoman, was found. However, later, “in some neighbouring house they (the police) found those things,” he said.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that the weapons were found a stone’s throw away from Grant’s house.

Hanoman was surprised that the police said in their media release that Grant was wanted. He stressed that his client was never wanted by the police but went to them because ranks had visited his home asking for him.

Two men were responsible for Fiedtkou-Parris’ murder, according to witnesses. They had been directed to the woman’s home, after turning up and asking for ‘Auntie.’ They were directed up a side step and as she emerged from her bedroom, which is opposite the front door, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot her several times to the upper part of her body.

The men then jumped into a waiting car while the injured woman was rushed to the Georgetown Hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after.

Robb Street residents had said that two strange young men had been seen driving around the area in a grey car. At one time, a resident said, they parked near the woman’s house. From all appearances the men were investigating the easiest entry and exit points.

It is believed that a property dispute was the motive for Fiedtkou-Parris’ murder. Following intense police investigations, Jacobs, a Charlestown resident, was arrested last Saturday. He appeared in court on Monday charged with the capital offence.

Crime Chief Seelall Persaud had told this newspaper on Tuesday that three others were in police custody assisting with investigations.