President urges nation to pray for relatives of slain 10-Y-O

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Sunday joined family members to bid farewell to slain 10-year-old Antony Cort at Sandy’s Funeral Home. The young lad was shot dead during a home invasion on March 11 in Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
The President was joined by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd.
Apart from consoling the mother and other relatives of the dead lad, the Head of State related: “As a nation, let us come together and pray for this family who tragically lost their loved one and for all of the other families who have also lost loved ones in this pandemic.”

Hours after the lad was shot and killed, the President visited his home and assured the grieving mother that he would do everything in his power to bring the perpetrators to justice. A swift investigation into the murder led to the arrest and arraignment of a 16-year-old for the murder.
The Police had stated that the teenage suspect was picked up days after the shooting and based on the evidence against him, detectives made an application at the high court to further detain him after the expiration of the 72-hour detention period.
The teen, however, made his appearance on Friday at the Sparandaam Magistrate’s Court where the indictable charge was read to him. He was remanded to prison. In addition, the Police stated that they are still on the hunt for two other suspects.
Cort was killed by armed men who invaded his aunt’s property. Reports are that the child and his mother were assisting his aunt to prepare for her birthday party two houses away from their residence.

However, whilst there, two males wearing face masks and armed with handguns invaded the property of the 44-year-old businesswoman.
Police said that the 10-year-old was in the upper flat of the home in the company of a cousin playing video games.
The bandits reportedly rushed into the home, held the occupants at gunpoint and relieved them of two cell phones, two gold bands, two gold rings, one gold chain, and $80,000 in cash.
According to Police, the bandits then ordered the victims into the upper flat of the house. As they made their way into the upper flat, the now dead lad exited a bedroom. It was at that time one of the bandits discharged a round, hitting the child in his left upper shoulder.

The perpetrators panicked, jumped a zinc fence and fled the scene. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) subsequently responded to reports of the tragedy and pronounced the child dead at the scene.
Police recovered a .9mm spent shell near the child’s body.