Double-murder/ $37M gold heist: Major Crime Unit takes over investigation – Crime Chief

– DDGMA calls for heightened security for miners

As investigations continue into the death of 50-year-old businessman Mohamed Zaheer Sheriff and 26-year-old Donovan Washington whose bodies were riddled with bullets during a daring robbery at Arimu Backdam, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum reported that several persons are being questioned.
He added that the investigations are being led by a team from the Major Crimes Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) that was dispatched to the scene.
He, however, could not divulge further information on the ongoing investigations.
It was reported that two masked men, on a red All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), carted off 102 ounces of raw gold valued at $37 million and two licensed firearms (a .32 pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun), property of Sheriff, a father of three of Byderabo Road, Bartica.
Investigations so far revealed that Sheriff was the owner of a six-inch land dredge operation at Arimu Backdam and he had ‘washed down’ on Sunday morning. He then left the camp along with Washington, also a father of three, of Seventh Avenue, Bartica, on an ATV. The men were en route to Bartica.
According to the Police, the General Manager for the Sheriff’s operation reported that about five minutes after his boss left camp, he heard several loud explosions which he suspected to be gunshots.

He said he went to investigate, and about 500 metres from the camp, found both Sheriff and Washington lying in the trail with gunshot injuries about their bodies.
Police said that the 39-year-old manager reported that he observed that both of Sheriff’s firearms and the gold were missing. He later made a report to the Bartica Police Station.
Sheriff’s body was examined, and Police said he was shot in his right upper chest, upper right thigh, upper right arm, and left upper back.
Washington’s body was also examined. He was shot to his lower abdomen, left chest, left shoulder, left hand, and left elbow, with four wounds to the right thigh, two to the left thigh, and one to his back.
The scene was processed and one .32 magazine with eight live matching rounds, seven 9mm spent shells, and three .32 spent shells were found.
A close relative of Washington told the Guyana Times that they received a call on Sunday morning that the duo was ambushed shortly after processing raw gold from the mining operations. The relative said that the family was still in shock at the man’s sudden death.

Nevertheless, the autopsies were performed on the bodies of Washington and Mohammed Sheriff by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh on Monday who gave the cause of death as ‘multiple gunshot wounds’.
The bodies were subsequently handed over to the respective families for funeral.
Meanwhile, The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association [GGDMA] in a statement to the media related that it is deeply saddened by the robbery and cold-blooded killing of its member and miner Mohamed Sheriff (aka Zaheer) and his colleague Donovan Washington.
In addition, the association urged all miners to take full security precautions and call on the Guyana Police Force to take the necessary actions so that the miners can be safe in conducting their business.
“The GGDMA would like to once again express its condolences to the families and friends of the late Mohamed Sheriff (aka Zaheer) and his colleague Donovan Washington and calls on the Authorities to have a proper investigation into this incident,” the GGDMA added.
Back in December 2022, Ricky Ambrose, a Sworn Land Surveyor and Ranger was also robbed of a quantity of raw gold and cash and killed at Arimu Backdam.