Bandits shoot, rob ECD man in Finance Ministry’s compound
…escape with M
A 29-year-old man is nursing a gunshot wound to his leg after he was shot during a robbery inside of the Finance Ministry’s compound on Tuesday. The incident occurred sometime around 12:55h.
Police and an ambulance at the scene shortly after the robbery
According to reports, the victim, John Brian a supervisor from Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara, was walking on Urquhart Street, North Cummingsburg, heading West with a haversack in his possession, when a white Toyota Premio motor car pulled up alongside him.
Two suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun, exited and approached him. This caused the man to become afraid, and he ran to the Finance Ministry via the northern gate. Upon reaching the compound, Brian threw the haversack which reportedly contained some $3 million cash, on to the ground.
The suspects followed him and picked up the bag. However, as the bandits were about to leave, the victim tried retrieving his bag. A struggle ensued and the armed bandit discharged a round at Brian, who was hit to his right thigh. The perpetrators subsequently made good their escape with the bag.
Meanwhile, the victim was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital in an ambulance and was taken into surgery. Investigators have since retrieved a spent shell from the scene however no arrests have so far been made.
At the scene, a security guard stationed at the Ministry recounted to Guyana Times that she was alone at the gate when the man ran into the yard and was chased by the two bandits. She noted that upon seeing the armed men, she rushed for cover, however, before an alarm couldbe raised, the men had already grabbed the bag and shot the owner.
This is the second robbery in the vicinity of the Finance Ministry in less than a month. On November 16, another East Coast Demerara businessman was robbed of over $2 million by bandits on a motorcycle at the traffic lights at Main and Lamaha Streets, Georgetown.
It was reported that the businessman had just left Republic Bank Limited, Water Street location, along with another person and was on their way home when two men rode up alongside them on a CG motor cycle. The pillion rider jumped off the bike and tried to open the door of the vehicle but it was locked.
This prompted the bandit to whip out a firearm and discharged a single shot, shattering the window. The gunman then grabbed a bag, containing the money before joining his accomplice on the motorcycle and sped away.
