A Bourda Market grocer is accusing the police of dragging their feet in probing a robbery during which she was held her at gunpoint and robbed her of approximately $600,000 in cash, phone cards and other valuables on Friday evening.
Zabida Khan yesterday related to Stabroek News that the incident which unfolded around 9.30 pm last Friday at Aziz Grocery stall located in Bourda Market, while she was attending to her one-year-old son has left her traumatized.
Khan explained that she was behind the counter while her employee was standing in front the stall when the `customer’ turned up and requested to purchase a drink.
“He (the gunman) came here and he pushed, he kicked my worker inside and put a gun up to he, took off his two chains worth $70,000 and an earring worth $7,000,” Khan said.
She added that the gunman then turned his attention to her. “He came up to me, he got a gun and he was like ‘where is the money? Shut up, don’t speak cause I am gonna shoot’”, she recalled.
Khan said although she told the gunman that her husband had left for home with the keys to the drawer which contained the cash, he insisted.
In fear for her life and that of her son, she said that she handed over a quantity of ‘change money’ she had in her possession.
“He said ‘this can’t be, how this could be all the money?’ Now the drawer was locked, my husband gone with the key. He then ripped out the whole drawer, I couldn’t get to open the drawer at the same time but he hold my hair and pulled it and start to put the gun on me saying that he gonna shoot if he don’t have the money,” Khan further explained.
She said the drawer contained $300,000 cash, $40,000 worth of phone cards, her gold chain, wedding band, engagement ring and cell phone all of which the gunman escaped with.
He fled on a on a motor cycle which was ridden by an accomplice.
Khan said she suspects that the crime was orchestrated by a fellow vendor. “The woman (vendor) was sitting right there, she see the whole thing and she didn’t even (do anything), her mom or her didn’t even come over and say you know what, what really happening”, she said.
Khan said following the incident, she contacted the Bourda police outpost.
“They (the ranks) came and pick me up to go to the Bourda outpost cause I called and told them I can’t leave here I am in a state of shock. Now they redirect me to Alberttown station,” she said.
She said she made a report at the Albertown Police station but up to yesterday morning, the police had not taken a statement from her.
Efforts to contact the police for a comment on the matter prove futile.
The woman expressed frustration at the manner in which the police are dealing with the matter, while stating that she has lost a lot and needs justice. “I am just putting it out there because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. I need justice…..I just need justice. It’s a lot I have lost and they (police) are not coming…..onto a day like today (yesterday) they can’t take a statement or even visit the scene,” Khan lamented.
Khan said the business has been in existence for about 20 years. She took over about four years ago. This is the first time she was robbed.
