$58M Kitty gold heist: Getaway driver jailed for 2½ years

Dequan King, the getaway driver in last year’s Kitty, Georgetown gold heist, who was nabbed in Suriname last month, has been jailed for two and a half years on several counts of robbery under arms. The custodial sentence was handed down on Monday by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

King, called “Titus”, or “Quanie”, of D Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, had been wanted in Guyana for a robbery committed on Wallison Enterprise, Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown, in August 2021. The Police had said that he was the driver of the getaway car used in the robbery.

Waterkant News in Suriname had reported that King, who was also wanted for murder in French Guiana, was arrested on the evening of October 9 by the Regional Assistance Team in Paramaribo in collaboration with the National Security Directorate.

Before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus on Monday, King pleaded guilty to robbing Wallison Enterprise of $38 million and $20 million worth of raw gold—property of Francis Santos Lumes, while armed with a gun and in the company of others.
He further admitted to three counts of robbery under arms committed on Francis Santos, involving gold jewellery and cash amounting to $224,000; Fernanda Carmichael of an iPhone valued at $350,000 and Williams Batista DaSilva of a phone valued at $160,000.

Probation report
During King’s sentencing hearing, it was revealed that he was deprived of having a proper childhood since he was left to fend for himself at an early age. He never knew his father.

Close family friends with whom King grew up told a probation officer that they were “surprised” at his involvement in the robbery. After considering the serious nature and prevalence of the offence, the “high value” of the articles stolen, the fact that the robbery was premeditated, King’s upbringing along with his early guilty plea, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus sentenced him to two and a half years in prison on each of the four counts of robbery under arms. The sentences will, however, run concurrently which means that he will only do two and a half years.
At his initial court appearance, King, who had no legal counsel, said that he was not involved in the robbery but only transported the robbers to the location in his taxi. He said he fled to Suriname after local Police issued a wanted bulletin for him.
While in Suriname, he said that he was involved in a crime – for which he did not disclose the nature – and was arrested. After his arrest in Suriname, he was extradited to Guyana.

Robbery
On August 5, 2021, several armed men who pretended to be customers executed a daring daylight robbery on Wallison Enterprise at Lot 23 Gordon Street Kitty, Georgetown. The men carted off $38 million in cash, 60 ounces of raw gold valued at $20 million, and two mobile phones. After committing the robbery, the armed men bound and gagged the cashier and two other staff after which they locked them in a room. Moments after escaping in a white motor car, the cashier managed to free herself and raised an alarm.
Investigations led to the arrest of Keyon King, 32, who was at the time a Sergeant in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) along with 36-year-old Delroy “Bug” Jackson and Peon Lee also known as “Nino Brown”, both security officers attached to the business.
Keyon King and the others were subsequently charged with several counts of armed robbery. While Keyon King pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment, the others pleaded not guilty and were remanded to prison pending the outcome of their trial.
The Guyana Police Force had issued a wanted bulletin for the driver of the getaway car, and two other men who were caught on CCTV camera robbing the business.
A wanted bulletin was also issued for Antonio Maraj also called “Pluckin” or “Thuggy” of Leopold Street, Georgetown; Agricola, Greater Georgetown, and Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD). Maraj was one of the persons caught on the CCTV recording during the commissioning of the robbery. Maraj was shot dead in French Guiana last month. While details surrounding the shooting are sketchy, it was reportedly gang-related.
Police are still on the hunt for ex-soldier Jamal Hazel, who was also caught on camera.
The 25-year-old is from Guyhoc Park, Georgetown.
Police had found the car belonging to Dequan King parked outside a house at Lot 435 Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara. Upon searching the premises, Police found and seized several household items. It was reported that neighbours told the Police that the man who lived there had left for the interior.
Following leads, detectives had turned up at the home of Keyon King at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE), where a search was conducted in the house but nothing substantial was found. Nevertheless, during a search in the yard, the detectives noticed a disturbed piece of land and decided to dig.
It was then a bucket was found buried, which, when checked, contained $15 million in $5000 notes and an additional $3 million in $1000 notes. The bucket was reportedly wrapped in two black garbage bags while the money was neatly packed in transparent bags.
As such, Keyon King and his wife were arrested. During interrogation, he told investigators that he was part of the initial plan to rob the gold establishment but he was not one of the persons who committed the act. The ex-GDF Sergeant also related that his wife was not aware of the robbery and as such, requested for her to be released. (G1)