Armed bandits terrorise Corentyne family – widow forced to part with 1975 wedding band
Widow Bibi Bissember
Widow Bibi Bissember

WIDOW Bibi Bissember was forced to part with her 1975 wedding band after armed bandits forced their way into her Bush Lot Farm home, just after 20:00 hrs on Friday night.She was in her living room, while her grandson, Faraaz, was sitting in their verandah when she heard a shot fired.

Dorwin Lord in hospital yesterday
Dorwin Lord in hospital yesterday

But, it was when she walked to the back of her house, with an intention of asking the neighbour whether she heard anything that she [Bissember] was confronted with a bandit who pointed a gun through the grillwork.

“He used a series of expletives and demanded that I open the door, or he will shoot me. I complied. At the time I had on eight fingerings, three pairs of jingles, two hand bands, one chain, a pair of earrings, all gold jewellery. He demanded that I take all off. I told him I have to use soap and water as the rings fitted tightly. He waited while I took all off. I did not want to part with my wedding ring. My husband died seven years ago .We had been married since 1975, but he told me if I did not take it off, he would cut off my finger. He had a sharp knife in his hand. I became afraid, and so I had to take it off,” the woman recalled.
Further, the mother of three recounted even as the masked bandit was demanding her jewellery, another approached and was enquiring to his accomplice for “the load”, and was told it was in a plastic bag in the haversack which was worn by the first bandit.
Assuming it was ammunition, Bissember said after the bag was removed, several rounds were fired before the men ransacked her home, further removing three bags, two cellular phones, a gold band which was given to her by an overseas-based friend to make a larger size, and $120,000 in cash. All the stolen articles exceeded $800,000.
Meanwhile, before the bandits struck the widow’s home, they pounced on her tenant Norbert Raphael and his household.
According to Raphael, his sister Rose, along with four of her six sons, and a niece, was viewing an African movie as they awaited the second CPL cricket match scheduled to be aired on television.
Norbert said it was during that period that his nephew David, left to go outside, when he heard him scream.
“My sister Rose thought David was experiencing his usual epileptic attack, so she went downstairs. I heard her shout Jesus Christ before a shot was fired. My niece Valarie shouted ‘thief! thief!’… I attempted to lock the door, but the bandit say, don’t lock the door.”

 The second house attacked by bandits at Bushlot Farm, Corentyne

The second house attacked by bandits at Bushlot Farm, Corentyne

Norbert said the four men – two of whom had guns – were masked. “I saw one with a knife. One came up with my sister Rose. He asked for the gold and the three million dollars. I tell he ‘boy me never see so much money’. My sister started to scream. They told us to shut up. They asked for the foreigners in the front house (Bissember). I tell them I don’t know where they deh. They left and run up she [Bissember] back stairs,” the man related.
During the intrusion, Raphel said the bandits took three rings from his niece Valarie who was visiting from the Linden Highway.
Meanwhile, siblings Dorwin Lord aged 18 years and Daniel Lord aged 16 years, were returning home from church and as they were about to enter their yard, the bandits reportedly fired shots in their direction.

Dorwin sustained gunshot injuries to his face, and is currently hospitalised at the New Amsterdam hospital.
The victims said their masked attackers were seemingly young men, who were partially dressed in Army fatigues.
Investigations are continuing.

By Jeune Bailey Vankeric

 

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