Seven persons — including the doctor who had reportedly administered medical attention to the suspected injured gunman who had shot and killed businessman Deon Stoll in front of the El Dorado Trading Inc on Da Silva Street in Newtown, Kitty — remain in Police custody.
Dead businessman: Deon Stoll
This is according to acting Crime Chief Michael Kingston, who on Thursday told Guyana Times that, in addition to these seven individuals, Police are hunting for one other person.
The Police had issued wanted bulletins for Delon “Demon” Morgan and 23-year-old Lennox Estwic in relation to this shooting incident. Morgan was arrested at a Police roadblock at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara (ECD) at about 05:45h on Tuesday. He had a gunshot wound to his right side chest.
Estwic, his alleged accomplice, of Lot 640 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), is still on the run.
Doctor’s role
Meanwhile, the acting Crime Chief has explained that, in relation to the doctor’s alleged role in this matter, the law is currently being researched in an effort to determine what charges, if any, can be laid against him.
Apprehended: Delon “Demon” Morgan
“This is the first time that we would have been confronted with a situation of this nature, so the law is being researched at the moment and the file is being prepared at the moment to be sent for legal advice. And so all of that would be expound upon, and at some stage the report will be sent to the Medical Council of Guyana on the doctor’s conduct,” Kingston told this publication.
The Crime Chief (ag) noted that, at some stage of the investigative process, law enforcement officials will engage the Medical Council of Guyana to make that body aware of what the Police have uncovered during their probe into this incident.
“…but at the moment, we are looking at a criminal investigation. The file is being prepared for legal advice. That is why they have legal advisors, so they can advise us on the way forward,” he explained.
Two masked gunmen pounced on Stoll and his driver as Stoll was about to enter the El Dorado Trading to conduct business on October 14. Stoll was shot, but managed to return fire at the gunmen. He shot one of the gunmen twice. His driver and a security guard at El Dorado Trading were also shot.
Stoll, also called “Mow”, hailed from Charity, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), but resided in Bel Air Park, Georgetown.
Still on the run: Lennox Estwic
Reports are that the businessman had arrived at the establishment at about 10:20h on that fateful October 14, and as he was about to exit the car, two gunmen who arrived in a white car opened fire on him and his driver, Clayton Powley.
A review of closed circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that Stoll was sitting in the front passenger seat of motorcar PPP 6727, being driven by Powley. A white Toyota motorcar with tinted windows, which had appeared to be trailing Stoll’s vehicle, also stopped across the road from the business place seconds later. Stoll had earlier visited a business place on Sheriff Street, from whence he had collected an undisclosed sum of cash.
Two gunmen, donning handkerchiefs to conceal their faces, jumped out of the car that had stopped behind PPP 6727 and rushed towards Stoll’s car. One gunman opened the door at the driver’s side and a scuffle began between him and Powley, who soon exited the vehicle to better defend himself. Powley received a gunshot wound to his arm in the process, while his assailant rushed back to the waiting white Toyota motorcar.
The other gunman rushed to the front seat passenger door and opened it before attempting to snatch something from Stoll. The businessman, who also appeared to have been putting up a fight from inside of the vehicle, was shot to his stomach. His shooter was unable to grab anything from the car. As he attempted to run away, the injured Stoll returned fire with his handgun. The CCTV footage showed that the gunman was shot twice by Stoll. He stumbled both times before escaping in the awaiting motorcar, which sped away.
The CCTV footage showed Stoll clutching his stomach as he fell to the ground. Security personnel attached to El Dorado Trading, along with residents of the neighbourhood, rushed to Stoll and Powley’s aid. They managed to transport the injured men to the Georgetown Public Hospital for emergency treatment. However, Stoll succumbed at the hospital.
Initially, it was believed that one of the gunmen was Guyana Defence Force member 18-year-old Olijah Chesney, who was found dead in the Tucville Squatting Area of Georgetown with two gunshot wounds. However, the Police have since said that Chesney was not involved in the robbery.
Stoll was laid to rest earlier this week at his home village, Charity, Essequibo Coast.
Laws governing doctors
Chairman of the Medical Council of Guyana, Dr Navindranauth Rambaran, has recently said it would be premature to pronounce on the fate of the doctor at this time, as Police investigations are still underway; but another senior medical practitioner employed by the Public Health Ministry told this publication that the Guyana Medical Practitioner’s Act does not have a direct rule stating that a doctor must report such incidents to the Police.
He, however, noted that the Police may be looking at the law governing the criminal act of accessory to the offence.
