Security guard remanded over $13.1M Fantasy Game Lounge heist

Twenty‑one‑year‑old former Castle Security guard Rakameem Benowen Nicholas, accused of a $13.1 million armed robbery at the Fantasy Game Lounge, Giftland Mall, was remanded to prison on Monday following formal charges in court.
Nicholas, who was taken into custody nearly three weeks after the June 22 incident, appeared on Friday before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court. He faced two charges of discharging a loaded firearm with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause grievous bodily harm, offences under Section 55A of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:01.

He is accused of firing his service weapon at co‑workers Cassie Benjamin and Raywat Sankar inside the Fantasy Game Lounge, during the early morning heist. In addition, Nicholas was charged with simple larceny for allegedly stealing his 9mm Glock 19 service pistol, serial number BFVU 468, along with 17 live rounds of ammunition from Castle Security Services.
Represented by attorney Bernard DeSilva, Nicholas pleaded not guilty to all charges. Magistrate Gibbs denied bail, remanding him until August 19, for report and disclosure. It was reported that on June 22, Nicholas robbed the Fantasy Game Lounge in a daring armed attack, then a security guard on duty. According to preliminary police reports, Nicholas approached Sankar, the outlet supervisor, and a female floor assistant, pointing his weapon and discharging a shot into the air. He then forced the pair into the cashier’s room and ordered Sankar to open the vault. The cash was reportedly placed into a garbage bin before the suspect calmly exited the building.
CCTV footage later allegedly captured Nicholas walking out of the mall access road, turning west along the Railway Embankment, and entering a motorcar bearing plate PZZ 5690, which promptly fled the scene.
Following the heist, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a wanted bulletin for Nicholas, providing his last known address as Lot 200 West Ruimveldt, Georgetown.
Three weeks later, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) anti-crime unit located the suspect outside KK Villa, Lime Street, Werk-en-Rust, where he was arrested. Officers seized GY$20,950, his mobile phone, and later recovered his service weapon—along with 15 matching live rounds—inside a black haversack in a room at the guest house. His passport and a copy of his firearm licence were also found.a