Koabe Grant, the suspect who admitted days ago to murdering Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Lance Corporal Daniel Fraser and his girlfriend, Shanicka Forde in Sophia will appear in court today, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum informed this newspaper.
Grant, who was arrested by the police last Wednesday afternoon is scheduled to appear in court to answer to the murder charges. While in custody, Grant was also questioned in relation to an incident which occurred in July, this year during which he and another man allegedly opened fire on Meadow Brook Gardens resident, Kennard Reid. Blanhum said Grant is likely to face an additional charge of discharging a loaded firearm stemming from this incident. Reports are that Grant and another man allegedly rode up in front Reid’s place as he was about to lock the gate to his Bamboo Drive, Meadow Brook Gardens home. At the time, Grant was reportedly the pillion rider of the motorcycle. Both he and his accomplice dismounted the motorcycle and discharged several rounds in Reid’s direction. They then escaped. Reid was not injured. Police are yet to locate the second suspect. Blanhum said several checks was made for him at his residence but he was not located.
Grant, a carpenter, of Sophia was arrested by the police and he was questioned in relation to the murders of Fraser and Forde. He confessed to carrying out the crime claiming that Fraser had sexually assaulted one of his relatives. This newspaper was reliably informed that Grant reportedly told investigators that Fraser and two others allegedly raped one of his close relatives. Since then, he said, Fraser was in the habit of “disrespecting and threatening” him. Grant, this newspaper was told, related to investigators that on September 1 around 8.30pm, he left his mother’s Meadow Brook house and went to a relative’s house. Later the same night, he visited a friend and on his way there, he saw Fraser at a shop in ‘C’ Field, Sophia drinking. Fraser reportedly warned him that he must not “come around” certain times. As a result, Grant told the police that he returned to his mother’s house, where he picked up a firearm. He claimed that he found the weapon some time ago at the ‘Blacka’ bridge in Sophia.
Police added that he (Grant) later saw Fraser and some other persons approaching the bridge which leads to ‘C’ Field, Sophia. They were crossing the bridge and heading in his direction. As a result, Grant told the police, he turned back and went west towards ‘B’ Field instead. Shortly after, he said, he saw Fraser and Forde on a motorcycle, while another man was on another motorcycle behind them. Upon seeing him, Grant alleged that Fraser shouted “look he deh hay”, Grant then said he pulled out the gun and opened fire. The suspect added that afterwards he dropped the gun and ran to ‘A’ Field, Sophia, where he took off his clothes and left it on back-dam. He then proceeded to his mother’s house. Information gathered by this newspaper revealed that police probing the matter were able to confirm that the suspect’s relative did lodge a rape report on May 27, 2021. She alleged that she was raped by Grant and another member of the GDF in February, 2021.
Fraser and Forde, who was visiting from Barbados, were gunned down at ‘B’ Field, Sophia around 11.30 pm last week Wednesday. Autopsies revealed that Fraser died as a result of a gunshot injury to his chest. The police had previously said that Fraser and Forde were in a relationship for about two weeks. However, family members said they have been together for about a year. It was initially suspected that the shooting was as a result of Forde going against an ex-partner’s wish and moving on from their relationship. Forde resided in Barbados but was here on vacation for the past three months. She was staying at a friend’s place in South Sophia. According to a police report, enquiries revealed that prior to the shooting, the couple were drinking at a shop at ‘C’ Field, Sophia. They then left for home on a motorcycle. “As they were heading west along Last Street ‘B’ Field, Sophia, they were confronted by an unknown male who approached them from a northern direction on a bicycle and discharged six rounds at Fraser and Forde causing them to fall on the ground,” the police said. The suspect then rode away in a western direction and made good his escape
