Guyanese murder suspect arrested in Suriname for murder, robbery

Nineteen-year-old Mwange Smith of ‘B’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown, was apprehended by law enforcement officials in Paramaribo, Suriname, on Monday evening in connection with the robbery-murder of Donnegy Jones on Sapakarastraat earlier this month.

Mwange was arrested by members of the Paramaribo Regional Assistance Team in collaboration with the National Security Directorate on Timmermanstraat. The arrest followed an intense manhunt after the August 8 murder, where Jones was robbed and fatally shot by a man riding a moped.
Jones, 29, was reportedly approached by the suspect on a moped when the tragic incident unfolded. The police’s diligent efforts led to the recovery of the moped used in the crime, which has since been seized as evidence. Mwange has since been transferred to the Major Crimes Department as investigations continue into his involvement in the fatal robbery.
This is not Mwange’s first encounter with law enforcement. Authorities in Guyana are also seeking him for a deadly incident on December 31, 2023. On that day, Mwange was allegedly playing with a firearm inside a house when it discharged, striking his stepbrother, Anthony Haynes, and Haynes’ two-month-old daughter.
Haynes succumbed to his injuries, while the infant survived with a gunshot wound to her right shoulder. After the shooting, Mwange reportedly attempted to conceal Haynes’ body by moving it outside and covering it with a sheet before fleeing the scene.
The Guyana Police had been actively seeking the public’s help to locate Mwange in connection with this crime. The murder took place at Haynes’ Grahams Hall, East Coast Demerara home, where Haynes’ reputed wife overheard him warning the suspect to “stop playing with the gun” just before a gunshot rang out. Upon investigating, she found her husband lifeless, holding their baby in his arms, while Mwange stood over them with a handgun.
Mwange’s criminal record is extensive. He had previously been remanded to prison in October 2022 after being charged with armed robbery against a woman in the East Coast Demerara area.
The Suriname Police had earlier arrested four other individuals linked to the Sapakarastraat case, though one has since been released. It remains unclear if the other suspects played a direct role in the robbery-murder.
Investigations into both the Suriname and Guyana cases are ongoing. (G9)