Olato Sam’s death: Plaisance man slapped with murder charge

Police have charged a 22-year-old man with murder in the shooting death of Ministerial Advisor, Dr Olato Sam at a Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) bar two Fridays ago.
Joshua Archer called “Joshie”, of Robert Road, Plaisance, ECD, was taken before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.
He was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison.

The accused will return to court on September 26 for disclosure of statements.
Archer has pending matters of possession of firearm and ammunition without a licence and possession of narcotics for trafficking. The trial in those matters will continue on August 24.
Sam, 53, of Lot 2811 Youth Place, South Ruimveldt Park, Georgetown, an advisor to the Education Minister, was killed by a stray bullet in the wee hours of Friday, August 4, while with friends at Plaisance Line Top, ECD.
Police confirmed that the shooting occurred in close proximity to the Gold Rush Bar, at Plaisance Railway Embankment, ECD, where Sam was liming with three friends.
At around 12:10h, a confrontation erupted between two men on opposite sides of the road. The altercation quickly escalated, and witnesses reported hearing two loud gunshots from the direction of the quarrelling men. Moments later, Sam collapsed while holding his bleeding chest.
Upon realising that he was shot, the former Chief Education Officer’s friends rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A gunshot wound was seen on the upper left side of his chest.
During the initial stage of the investigation, the two men who were involved in the fight were taken into custody. At the time of their arrest, one of the men was found to be in possession of a firearm. Both of their hands were dusted for possible gunpowder residue.
Additionally, the weapon was sent for ballistics tests to be conducted.
The Police shot Archer on August 8 when they were searching for another suspect in Sam’s murder at Robert Road in Plaisance.
Police reported that on the day in question, a Gazetted Officer and a party of Police ranks were in Plaisance to arrest a suspect for questioning in relation to the shooting to death of Sam.
The Police ranks were in an unmarked vehicle and were conducting surveillance in the vicinity of Robert Road, Plaisance when they observed a man standing at the side of the road next to a fence.
The ranks exited the vehicle, and as they approached Archer, he went through a small opening in the fence. As such, the ranks shouted for him to stop, but instead, he reached into his waist and whipped out a firearm. A rank discharged one round in Archer’s direction which caught his right thigh, thus causing him to fall into some bushes.
He was taken to the GPHC for treatment and kept under Police guard. Police subsequently found a .32 pistol with its serial number filed off and two matching rounds of ammunition at the scene. (G1)