Five suspects in custody after Wenamu River holdup

Police say they have five men in custody assisting with investigations after six men were robbed in a holdup and relieved of a quantity of raw gold, US$1,000, one cell phone and a quantity of imitation jewellery in the Wenamu River, Cuyuni on Wednesday.

Police ranks and army personnel based at Eteringbang responded quickly to the report and subsequently  arrested the five suspects and recovered a 12-gauge Winchester shotgun with four cartridges, a quantity of raw gold and  imitation jewellery.

At about 10:00am  Guyanese Mohan Lall, 45,  of Hampton Court, Essequibo, along with Venezuelan nationals Hector Benjamin Marine, 38, Frank Lopez, 47,  Raquel Lopez, 27, Marian Salazar, 33, and Yenna Hernandez, 32, were held up by five men believed to be Venezuelans and who were armed with a shotgun, knives and cutlasses.

The robbers tied up the men and took away a total of approximately 13 ounces of raw gold, US$1,000, one cell phone and a quantity of imitation jewellery and escaped.