Execution-style killings continue to pose a serious challenge to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
When they occur, investigations would be launched by the GPF but rarely are the perpetrators of these crimes caught.
For this year already, there have been at least two execution-style killings. No arrest has been made in either of them.
On January 14th, taxi driver, Delon Josiah, from the 007 Taxi Service in Campbellville, Georgetown, was murdered at his Perseverance, East Bank Demerara home after gunmen barged in and shot him in his sleep.
According to the police report, Josiah was sleeping inside a bedroom, while his wife, Nicosc McDonald Josiah, was at the front door with a female friend when two armed men confronted them. They led Nicosc and her friend inside, searching for Delon. One of the men opened the bedroom door where Delon was and both opened fire on him.
When the police arrived, the body was still lying in a pool of blood. The scene was photographed and processed, and four .40 spent shells, four .9mm spent shells, four metal fragments, and three bullets were recovered. Several people were contacted and interviewed, and the area was canvassed for closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Days before, Anthony Charles, aka ‘Skiddle’, a 33-year-old labourer of Leopold Street, George-town, was gunned down execution style while on his way to purchase alcohol.
‘Skiddle’ was killed on January 9th on D’Urban Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. He was riddled with 12 bullets including to his neck and forehead.
The police in a statement, disclosed that preliminary investigations had revealed that Charles was in the company of another labourer, 43-year-old Dexter Lawrence, at the time of the shooting. They were walking towards a shop at the corner of D’Urban and Smyth streets.
While on their way, a silver-grey, old-model Allion motorcar, bearing registration number, PVV 5906, approached the duo from behind and one of the occupants exited and opened fire on the two men. Lawrence ran in a westerly direction and escaped but Charles fell to the ground. Police have since ascertained that the registration number of the car is fake.
Lawrence told investigators that at the time, he and Charles were walking towards the shop and he turned to look back and saw a car and a male in a dark-coloured hoodie exit and walk up to Charles. The shooter then discharged several rounds at Charles. The gunman then quickly re-entered the car which drove and turned north into Smyth Street and disappeared. Lawrence suffered a bruise to his hand which he said was caused by a bullet. Charles was later found lying on his back in a pool of blood. Several 9mm spent shells, five warheads and a metal fragment were found at the scene.
President Irfaan Ali told this newspaper on January 17 on the sidelines of a press conference that he is waiting on a full report from the police on these execution-style killings.
Most, if not all of these killings are well orchestrated and are committed after the victims would have either received previous threats or were targeted for some time.
At least, the murder of 23-year-old SabuTaro Singh which occurred on December 21 last year appears to be one such case.
Singh, who was one of the accused in a multi-million dollar gold theft case was fatally wounded while he was vending on the pavement along Regent Street, in front of Pressy’s building.
The police had said investigations revealed that Singh was in the company of two men when his attacker approached him and dealt him a stab in his neck. Singh immediately fell to the ground. The police said the suspect fled the scene with the knife in his hand.
Investigators probing the murder were able to obtain surveillance footage which captured the white Toyota Premio motor car that the man used to flee the scene.
An image of the motorcar was released to this newspaper but the number plate was not clear.
To date, the killer is yet to be apprehended.
There have been high-profile execution-style killings from previous years that have remained a mystery even while sparking major controversies. The gunning down of Ricardo Fagundes on March 21, 2021 outside of the Palm Court on Main Street was one such an example. It triggered a major scandal last year over whether the police had covered up leads connected to a city businessman.
The gunning down of Brazilian, Euclid DaSilva on August 10 2021 on Regent Street has also gone unsolved.
