Following the brutal chopping and stabbing of a couple at Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara (WBD) who were robbed by four masked bandits last week, a suspect has been released from Police custody pending the outcome of investigations.
The house where the couple reside in Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara
His release comes after revelations that the hat of one of the bandits was found at the scene of the crime. Meanwhile, Goeberdhan and Sangeeta Mahabir, who were attacked at their residence at Nowran Dam, Sisters Village, are said to be in stable condition and are recovering at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Guyana Times reported that Goeberdhan was in the process of closing his variety store, located in front of his two-storey home, when the bandits jumped the fence and pounced on him. Two of the bandits, who were reportedly armed with knives – entered the house and attacked Sangeeta while the remaining two, who were also armed, remained with the businessman.
The men assaulted Goeberdhan, while their accomplices ransacked the variety store, where an undisclosed sum of cash was found.
Just before leaving the scene, the bandits stabbed the couple several times about their bodies, before fleeing west. Goberdhan received a stab to his belly, one to his head and a cut on his forehead, while his wife was cut about five times on the right arm, on her leg and on her back, a relative explained.
The couple’s nephew, who resides a short distance away, told this publication that he heard screams coming from his uncle’s home and upon checking, he observed him on the ground in front of his shop, bleeding profusely.
Meanwhile, residents of the surrounding communities of the Wales area contended that there should be beefed-up security to tackle rising crime. This newspaper was at the time questioning if robberies were on the increase in the area.
“Since this Estate close down, we getting more crime and robbery, because nobody ain’t working or getting money and no business ain’t going on. To me, Wales dead,” former cane harvester “Alexander” told Guyana Times over the weekend.
His sentiments were shared by sluice attendant Nandkishore Singh and retrenched sugar worker Krishna Ramlall, who both said an increased Police presence would reduce crime in the area. Ramlall reminded that many of his colleagues were still finding difficulties in gaining consistent work and noted that many young men in the area were without jobs.
When the Wales Estate closure was announced in early 2016, workers and their family members had long expressed fear that Wales would become a “ghost town” and that criminal activity would increase. The current spate of crime was compounded with the rise of criminal gangs who had been prowling the area before the Estate was closed. In the past few years, Sisters Village, Good Intent, Patentia and Wales have all seen increased reports of robberies.
