A 63-year-old businessman was severely beaten and is now hospitalised after several armed bandits invaded his Bagotstown, East Bank Demerara home on Monday evening.
The businessman, Rabindranauth Gossai, owner of the 70-year-old R Gossai and Sons General Store, was gun-butted several times and beaten while his wife, son
The R.Gossai and Sons General Store
and grandson looked on helplessly. His son’s arms were bound while his wife and grandson were held at gunpoint.
While three of the bandits held the family hostage, the others ransacked the house during which they found money, jewellery and other items. As they were leaving, they collected several bottles of high-end rum and a quantity of groceries.
Based on reports received, at about 20:00h, eight masked men who were armed with guns scaled the fence to Gossai’s property, and hid in the businessman’s yard for some time before they executed their plan.
When Guyana Times visited the house on Tuesday morning, the man’s son, Joey Gossai, explained that after they closed the shop they would remain in the house until he is ready to go home.
He noted at about 20:00h, he opened one of the doors to the lower flat of the house, and as he made his way to the car, he was confronted by the men who emerged from the backyard. Without any time to react, he was held at gunpoint and one of the bandits bound his hands.
He recalled that within seconds, the men made their way into the house where they held his parents and four-year-old son at gunpoint. “When they took me in the house, I saw my father was bleeding profusely but there was nothing I could have done… they put all of us to lay face down on the ground and even threatened to kill my son if we didn’t cooperate,” the man stated.
The young man noted that after they were held hostage, several of the men tumbled every corner of the house, including the shop. They escaped with the sales for the day, an undisclosed sum of cash from the money transfer section, several bottles of rum and groceries,” the young Gossai stated. He could not estimate the total value of the items taken, however, as checks were, made more valuables were discovered missing.
He also noted that the bandits removed the DVR for the cameras; hence there is no surveillance footage of the robbery.
He noted that after the ordeal which last for some 25-30 minutes, the bandits escaped on foot. After the men left, the young man managed to untie himself and called the Police but his priority was to take his father to the hospital since he was still bleeding.
The young Gossai is however thankful that the gunmen did not go berserk and open fire. The Police have since visited the scene and dusted the area for fingerprints. No arrests have so far been made.
