Better Hope man battered by armed bandits

Three bandits attacked 43-year-old Vadanand Joseph in front of his Better Hope South, East Coast Demerara (ECD) residence, on Wednesday evening, and relieved him of a Plum smart phone, before turning their attack on his two visitors.
The robbery victim spoke to this newspaper on Thursday and revealed that when he got home around 21:00h on Wednesday night, he saw three men approaching him from the eastern direction of De Souza Street, just as he was about to enter his gate.
According to the injured man, one of the bandits was armed with a handgun while his two accomplices, who were on a bicycle, were armed with cutlasses. The fearful man ran into his yard and realised that he was trapped when the men followed him. Joseph said he attempted to run, but two of the men began to hit him and threw him on the ground where they continued to batter him about his body before taking his cellphone from his pants pocket.
At this point, two of Joseph’s friends who are regular visitors entered the gate where they came upon their friend being assaulted. The victim further revealed that as one of his friends attempted to escape, he was followed by a gunman who discharged three rounds behind the fleeing man, while the other friend was cornered and dealt several blows and chops about his body.
Fortunately, the Community Policing Group (CPG) was reportedly having a gathering some distance away and became alarmed after hearing the gunshots and came to the rescue of the men. By the time the CPG arrived on the scene, the bandits had already escaped. Investigations are in progress.