Four persons were arrested and are being questioned in connection with the beating to death of 34-year-old Prettipaul Hargobin at Bath Settlement Public Road on Wednesday.
Dead: Prettipaul Hargobin
This was confirmed on Thursday by Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum who also stated the firearm that was taken away from the victim was retrieved and is in police possession as investigations continue.
Hargobin called “Roy” of Block B1 Waterloo, Bath Settlement succumbed at about 15:45h on the said day.
According to police reports, the victim was in his motor vehicle on the Public Road at Bath Settlement, when it was observed that he exited the vehicle with a shotgun and discharged one round into the air before discharging three rounds towards a crowd of protestors, who were about 60 meters away.
As a result of his actions, Hargobin was attacked and beaten by the crowd, whom the police said are also residents from Bath Settlement.
Having observed the commotion, Police ranks who are some distance away rushed to the scene, where the discovered Hargobin lying on ground with several injuries about his body.
Hargobin’s sister, Ronita has stated that they were first attacked by the protestor before her brother went out alone and was killed.
She recalled that she was on the Public Road with some friends when her brother came out with his vehicle and was looking for someone on a blue motorcycle. The woman said her brother was upset and crying, but would not tell her what had happened to him.
Ronita said she accompanied her brother in search of the person but they ended up meeting persons protesting on the road.
As a result, the distraught sister said that Hargobin was left behind and she was taken home by a friend. On her way, she saw her brother’s vehicle heading back towards the direction of the protestors.
“I heard gunshots and then I saw a whole lot of people flock around him. I don’t know what they did to him but I was told he was chopped. I saw them hitting the vehicle and damage it – they torched it and I couldn’t do anything. I asked them to hit my brother but it was in vain; nothing there help we…” the woman related.
According to Ronita, she rushed home to get her a car to take her brother to the hospital but by the time she returned to the scene, the police had already taken him to seek medical attention. Hargobin died before reaching the Fort Wellington Hospital.
