Elderly domestic worker recounts $13M robbery at boss’s house

A domestic worker yesterday recounted the harrowing $13 million robbery at her boss’s Republic Park, East Bank Demerara, during which she was bound and gagged by gunmen.

Yvonne Moe recounted her experience when the trial of robbery accused Godfrey Lynch began in the courtroom of Magistrate Judy Latchman.

Lynch, 20, is accused of robbing Moe while being armed with a gun on April 25, at Republic Park, East Bank Demerara. It is alleged that he robbed her of $7,000,000, US$10,000 (equivalent to $2,000,000), a quantity of gold jewellery valued $4,000,000, and a pistol, valued $120,000, which were the property of Harry Narine. The total value of stolen articles is $13,120,000.

The elderly Moe testified that she was outside the house looking for a ladder when she noticed two persons at the back. She said that after seeing the strange men, she proceeded to run back into the house but was caught by one of them, who then dragged her into the house.

Moe said the men demanded to know where her employer kept his money and jewellery. The witness also said that the men asked her if she knew where a gun was and she told tell no since she did not live here.

Moe, who was visibly shaken, demonstrated to the court how the accused and his accomplice dragged her upstairs into one of the bedrooms, tied her hands and feet and stuffed a piece of cloth into her mouth.

Moe recalled being scared when one of the men, who found her employer’s gun, came and placed it to her head. The witness said that she was afraid that the men were going to kill her that day.

She said that at intervals while they left her in the room alone, she heard them ransacking the house looking for valuables. Moe also described the men to the court; she said that one wore a mask, while the other did not and she could have identified both of their voices.

After her evidence-in-chief, Moe was crossed-examined by Lynch, who suggested that she couldn’t have known who robbed her. Moe said that the individuals were both men and she knew that because of their voices.

The matter was later adjourned to today for further testimony.