A police prosecutor and his family are fearful for their lives after gunmen opened fire on their Craig, East Bank Demerara (EBD) home on Sunday night.
The shooting occurred sometime around 20.45 hrs at Second Street, Craig, EBD.
At the time, Corporal Hemchand Sukhna, his wife and one of his nephews were seated under a shed in front of the house.
During a telephone interview with Stabroek News, Sukhna, who is attached to the Diamond Magistrate’s Court, said that the shooting lasted for a couple seconds.
“Me, my wife and my nephew were sitting at the front of the house under the shed and then I heard some loud explosions. I didn’t respond to it right away but then I heard some more. When I heard the second amount now, I just told them [his wife and nephew] to drop on the ground, to make themselves the smaller target,” Sukhna recalled.
He said while he saw the suspects, he was unable to identify them since they wore hoodies, which concealed their faces.
Following the shooting, Sukhna said bullet holes were seen on the front wall of his house and his fence. The rear windshield of his minibus, which was parked under the shed, was also pierced.
The police were summoned, the scene was processed and several spent shells was recovered. Investigators probing the incident believe that it might be linked to a court case which Sukhna prosecuted.
Asked whether he had any idea why he might be targeted, Sukhna explained that he believes that the incident stemmed from a case which he prosecuted some time ago.
During the trial, Sukhna said he was allegedly threatened by the accused, who was recently released from prison after serving a three-year sentence.
At the time, Sukhna said he didn’t take it seriously.
“Since during the trial, he made threats but I didn’t take threats seriously at that time… I thought it was an empty threat at that time,” he noted.
This is not the first attack on Sukhna. About eight years ago, he said he was beaten and robbed while returning from work. “At the time I was stationed at Brickdam Police Station…I used to take public transportation to work….I was beaten and robbed,” he recalled.
Sukhna who has been a member of the Guyana Police Force for about 20 years said while he is fearful for his life and that of his family, he has to continue performing his duties.
He said he is now thinking that he may have to worry in instances where he secures a conviction and the accused ends up in jail as they may want to target him or his family. “I don’t know if he is going to return, [or] he is going to send anybody but I basically have to look over my shoulder now,” he added.
While Sukhna has not been provided with any form of protection at his home, he said he hoped that sometime in the future it will be considered for him and his fellow prosecutors.
Up to yesterday no arrest had yet been made.
