–A suspect already in custody

SALESMAN Bharat Ramcharan, 57, of Section ‘C’ Enterprise, East Coast Demerara was yesterday afternoon shot dead when two gunmen invaded his workplace, Patsan Trading Services at John Smith Street, Campbellville, and robbed him.

Ramcharan, who worked at Patsan’s for over ten years, was reportedly trailed by two men on a CG motorcycle from another location in the city, and as he arrived at his workplace, the pair entered the building behind him, shot him, and took away a bag containing money he had collected during the course of the day.

When this newspaper arrived at the scene of the shooting, the police were already there, interviewing staff and a security guard who was manning the gate when the men entered.
A resident in the area said he was inside his home when he heard two gunshots, and on venturing outside, he saw the security guard at Patsan’s closing the gate.

The man said he hurried over to Patsan’s, thinking that it was the bandit who was shot, and that he had been trapped in the building; but he later realised that it was the long-serving employee who was shot.
He said when he got closer to the wounded employee, there was no sign of life. The police later stated that the man was pronounced dead on arrival at a private hospital.

Patsan staff said they were at the back of the compound doing their chores when they heard the gunshots; on rushing to the front of the building, they realised that one of their colleagues had been shot. He was placed in a bus and rushed to a private city hospital.

Reports are that the police already have one man in custody and he is assisting in the investigations. This newspaper understands that the men who carried out the felony-murder at Patsan were not wearing masks at the time.

We’ve also learnt that the entire premises is monitored by surveillance cameras, including the entrance the men used to pounce on the salesman.

(By Leroy Smith)