Duo gets 30 months for chopping, robbing Essequibo businessman
Twenty-five-year-old Nigel Bentick and 21-year-old Isaiah Okmie Barclay were on Tuesday sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for brutally chopping Essequibo businessman Mohammed Khan and his wife during a robbery on Old Year’s Night.
The duo appeared before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Nigel Bentick
It was reported that on the day in question, at about 22:45h, Khan was in his business place when one of the suspects approached him and held him at knifepoint.
The other bandit went into the bedroom of the building and bound the man’s reputed wife 55-year-old Stephanie Sanchara, after which they carried out the robbery.
The Police have said that the men carted off a quantity of phone cards valued at $1.1 million, and $4,822,641 in cash. However, during the ordeal, Khan managed to free himself, and one of the suspects chopped him to the head.
Isaiah Okmie Barclay
After the perpetrator had escaped, the businessman raised an alarm, and was subsequently taken to the Charity Public Hospital where he was admitted. He was later transferred to the Suddie Hospital in a stable condition.
Police, with assistance from public-spirited citizens, including some members of the Charity Community Policing Group (CPG), cordoned off the area in search of the two bandits.
The cash and phone cards that were found on the bandits
A manhunt that lasted several hours resulted in the apprehension of the two suspects, who were handed over to ranks of the Charity Police Station.
