Robbery victim under investigation for staged attack

… feels frustrated with treatment from Police

A robbery victim is beyond frustrated and has practically given up the little bit of hope he had of justice being served now that the Police have placed him under investigation.

Jacob Mootoo
Jacob Mootoo

Corentyne businessman, Jacob Mootoo, proprietor of J Mootoo Grocery Store in Alness Village, Corentyne, reported a robbery occurring on Sunday last in the wee hours of the morning.
Initially, he told Guyana Times that two men entered his home by breaking through a grilled window and upon hearing the loud crash, Mootoo said he quickly armed himself with a cutlass and waited in a corner to ward off the bandits.
He detailed that when he confronted the intruders, they fired two gunshots in his direction. The businessman said he immediately retreated and went into hiding.
The bandits then reportedly escaped with an undisclosed sum of cash and two Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphones without harming anyone in the home.
But Police sources have informed Guyana Times that the businessman’s stories are inconsistent and as such, they are investigating whether the robbery could have been staged.
Police visited the crime scene once again on Tuesday to further question the businessman and took samples with the intention of running tests to determine if he had gun residue on his body.
Sources also disclosed that the businessman’s property was searched for illegal firearms.
Divisional Commander Kevin Adonis said acting upon information received, Mootoo’s premises was searched and dusted as Police intensify their investigations to unearth the truth behind the alleged robbery.

“Pick sense from nonsense”
But the businessman is in disbelief at the twist in events for never in his life would he think a robbery victim would be treated by law enforcement as the assailant.
“I fed up with this here. Put me in your shoe, how would you take it? I was terrorised by bandits and now the Police terrorising me. How would you take it,” Mootoo lashed out irritably, during a telephone interview with this publication.
Mootoo said the suspicion of him having an illegal firearm and also staging the robbery is farcical since he has nothing to gain from doing such.
“Pick sense from nonsense. If me had a firearm in this house, wouldn’t I use it when the bandits break in my home? When they come and search me house, they wouldn’t find it?” he explained. The businessman is extremely frustrated with the treatment from the Police and has lost all faith in the deliverance of justice.