Gun-toting bandits rob taxi driver of car in South Ruimveldt

– Police accuse driver of planning robbery

Annand Rampersaud, a 31-year-old taxi driver from Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was relieved of the black Toyota Fielder Wagon, HD 3422, that he was driving on Thursday evening by gun-toting bandits in the vicinity of South Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
In an interview with Guyana Times on Sunday, Rampersaud said on Tuesday evening last at about 22:00h, he was at the PY Taxi base at Lusignan, ECD, when a man came and requested a car.
“I picked him up and, on the way, he was telling me that he is having problems with his girlfriend and that she gone out and drink up. He told me that he working with some oil company and so I dropped him off on Sheriff Street by the roundabout and when I drop him off, he ask me for my number. I tell [him] I don’t give out my number and he say man he really needs it for when he needs help with the taxi. So, I gave him my number and he left.”
Rampersaud said the following day he saw a strange number calling him which he presumed was the customer he had dropped off but he did not answer since he was dealing with some important matters. He alleged that the next day while working, the number called him again.
“When he called me he said what happened budday, I calling you all the time and you not answering me. Like you don’t want wuk from me. I told him I didn’t work Wednesday night because the rain was falling. He then tells me that he was in town and he has to go and pick up somebody at Ogle and drop them at Sleep-Inn, and then pick up his company bus at Providence Red Road. I told him that I have somebody in the car and he asks if when I finish dropping off the person if I can come and pick him up. I told him alright and he tell me that if I can’t make it let me send a wagon for him so I said I will be there in 15 minutes.”

Rampersaud related after picking up the customer and while in the vicinity of Back Road in Georgetown, he asked to be taken to South Ruimveldt where he claimed he had to pick up someone. The taxi driver stated that while waiting for the person, the customer asked him for a call since he did not have credit in his phone.
“When I gave the man my phone, a masked man walked up to me holding a gun and demanded that I get out of the car and hand over the keys.”
The man carrying the gun then entered the car and they drove off, leaving Rampersaud on the roadway.
The matter was later reported to the Police but Rampersaud was left in shock and disbelief after he instead was arrested and accused of setting up the carjacking.
The taxi driver recalled 24 agonising hours in Police custody before being released.
“How can somebody go to make a report and get arrested… the Police arrested me and put on them chain bangles on my foot… My mother went and bring all my receipts and everything to show them that I own the car and why I would plan to rob myself. The officer said that he don’t want to see that and he locked me up the whole night with chain on my foot,” Rampersaud stated.
Rampersaud’s family and friends have rallied around him, expressing their anger and frustration at the manner in which the Police handled the situation. Attempts to get a comment from the Guyana Police Force on the matter proved futile. (G9)