A dredge owner was attacked and robbed at gunpoint of raw gold at Mahdia on Sunday and police later acting on a tip-off arrested a suspect with what is believed to be part of the loot.
Police said in a press release yesterday that around 1130 hours Monday ranks received a report of an armed robbery that had occurred on the previous day at Haimara Creek, Mowasie Backdam during which mining dredge operator Chandradat Bahadur was attacked and robbed by a man armed with a firearm.
Bahadur and three others, police said were confronted by the masked perpetrator while they were on their way out of the Backdam. The other three men ran away while Bahadur resisted and a struggle ensued during which the perpetrator’s mask was pulled off. He however managed to take away a quantity of raw gold from Bahadur, who was beaten about his body, after which he escaped.
The release added that acting on information received, at about 0045 hours, the suspect was arrested by the police at the Konawaruk junction. A quantity of raw gold that was in his possession was recovered by the police.
Stabroek News was told that Bahadur was beaten to the point were he had to seek medical attention at the Mahdia Hospital. This newspaper was unable to ascertain the extent of his injuries.
The suspect, who had 10 ozs of raw gold in his possession, this newspaper was told, will be charged with robbery under arms.
Police are continuing investigations into this latest interior robbery.
Two Sundays ago a group of about 15 men stormed the Piari Landing robbing eight persons of gold and jewellery. During the incident three of the victims were shot and later had to seek medical attention.
The perpetrators escaped in a boat which overturned while travelling along the Mazaruni River. Police later recovered six bodies, five of whom are suspected to be bandits and have charged another five men in connection with the heist.
