Berbice businessman killed during birthday celebration

…after bandits invade party, 2 others injured

A West Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) businessman was shot and killed by bandits who invaded his birthday party as he was celebrating with family and friends.

Two other persons were also shot during the robbery which occurred at about 23:00h on Friday night.
Dead is 78-year-old Tony Bisnauth, called “Uncle Tony” and “England Man”, of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice. Injured are Mahendra Nagamootoo, called “Karan”, 25, and his uncle, 47-year-old Nateram Bridgelall, called “Bobby”, both of Lot 23 Carriage Road, Rosignol.
Bisnauth received a suspected gunshot wound to his right ear. They were attacked by three masked bandits, two armed with handguns and the other with a chopper. The incident took place at Sandra’s Snackette on Carriage Road, which many refer to as Stelling Road, Rosignol.
Reports are that Bisnauth and a younger brother along with Bridgelall, Nagamootoo and another man were imbibing at a table and four women and three children were on another table outside of the snackette. The snackette is owned and operated by Bisnauth’s wife.

According to the Police, the dead man’s wife, Sunita Khani, said the suspects pounced with weapons and demanded their valuables. She related that they refused the bandits demands and a scuffle ensued during which the suspects discharged several rounds causing three persons to receive injuries.
Reports are that Nagamootoo, who is Bisnauth’s adopted son, was shot three times and is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital. He is nursing three gunshot wounds – one to his arm, abdomen and back.

Bridgelall, in recounting the ordeal, said he and his nephew were invited to the birthday party. He also said he sold the now-dead man a sheep, which was cooked for the party. Bridgelall was shot once and the bullet grazed his belly.
“I see three masked men run from across the road and one go straight to my nephew, one go to Uncle Tony and the other one come straight to me. They shoot Uncle Tony first and after that, the other one and my nephew start fighting. The other one brace me into the wall and put the gun by my belly and he asked me if I have anything and I tell him that I don’t have anything and then he pull off my gold chain and push his hand in my pocket and took out my phone,” the man recalled.
He explained that the bandit was not satisfied with the loot and began to pat him down in search of more valuables. He said that the man pushed his hand in his back pocket where he had $35,000.

“After turning, he fire the shot and it just graze my belly.”
The bandits escaped with four cellular phones, jewellery and cash from Bisnauth. The man returned to Guyana from the United Kingdom some 10 years ago.
A younger brother, who is currently on vacation from the UK, was also at the party when the bandits attacked. According to him, as soon as he realised that they were about to be robbed he laid flat on the ground. The man recalled that Bisnauth and one of the bandits were in a scuffle and went into the shop where his brother was shot. However, he said that he passed out and could not remember much.
However, Bridgelall said after Bisnauth was shot he fell, and the bandit pushed his hand into the injured man’s pocket and took his cellular phone and money.
Bisnauth leaves to mourn his wife, five children and a brother.
Police are on the hunt for the bandits as the investigation continues.