–losses estimated at more than $2M
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW Gaumattie Singh and her husband, Krishna Persaud were attacked and robbed by two armed bandits when they were about to enter their Lot 43 Prashad Nagar, Georgetown residence, yesterday morning at around 03:05hrs.
Singh has estimated her losses to be in excess of $2M, which includes jewellery, electronics, medication, currency and clothing.
“The losses I estimated in excess of $2M because my US currency alone that I had on me cash was US$5002, my husband had his hand band which has 32 pennyweight of 14 karat gold. (We also lost) Cdn$220 and TT$125, three cell phones: one Blackberry Storm, my LG Gold and my I-Pod.”
Speaking with this publication during an interview, the woman said that she and her husband had just arrived in Guyana from Trinidad and Tobago, where she had gone to undergo a surgery. Still seemingly shaken from the mishap, the woman explained what transpired earlier: Their faces were, however, unfamiliar to both herself and her husband.
“When we arrived from the airport, my husband came out (of the vehicle) and my daughter was in the veranda. She threw down the key, and as he was trying to open the gate, I saw him taking some time, so I asked the driver, Seenauth, to come out and help him. He also, at the same time, took out the suitcase from the trunk. As the two of them (were) trying to get the gate open, I decided to open the car door and get out; and by the time I got up, the two men were up to us. One was short and fair in complexion and appeared to be of a mixed race, and the other one was tall and was of African descent.”
One of the men then walked over to her and placed a gun to her neck, demanding that she remain still and threatening to kill her if she sounded any alarm. “The short one walked up to me, and the other, taller one, he went to my husband and the driver. The one took a gun and he put it to my neck, and he said, ‘Don’t move, or I’ll kill you’,” Singh explained.
She said that, in fear for her life and those of her husband and the driver, she began to plead with the perpetrators to take whatever they wanted but not to harm anyone. “At that point, all I did was raise my hand and I said, ‘Please don’t harm us. You can take everything that you want, but don’t harm us’. When I turned, I saw the other one asking for cell phone, but everything concerning us was in my other bags and personal hand luggage. They took Seenauth’s (taxi driver) phone from him and they didn’t get any cash, because he didn’t have any.”
She stated that the bandits didn’t get anything from her husband either, except the 14 karat gold band that he was wearing. “They didn’t get anything from my husband. They took up the suitcase and all my hand luggage that was in the car. The one next to me take up everything, and the two then proceeded east as though they were heading out of the area, walking very calmly.”
Singh explained that the men committed the act as if nothing was wrong, since they walked away calmly as if they hadn’t done anything wrong. She said that the men then boarded a car to effect their escape, and her driver followed the car, but his efforts proved futile. Nevertheless, he quickly reported the matter to the police.
“A dark coloured 212 Carina reversed and picked them up. Seenauth gave chase behind them, and they drove into Sophia and the car disappeared, and he didn’t find them. He alerted the police, and there was no police at Sophia, and so he came back and made a report at Prashad Nagar (police outpost). A patrol group that was there immediately went out, but they didn’t find anything.”
According to the woman, after making a report at the police station, Seenauth returned to the scene to carry her and Persaud to make a report at the station.
“He picked us up and we went to give a statement. Later that day, I went to the embassy because our passports and everything was in the hand luggage, and (those visas) were all valid US visas, and they have asked us to put something in writing.
“I got a phone call from Corporal Henry this morning, and he said that he’s in charge of the Prashad Nagar Outpost and he asked that we go down to Brickdam and give a full statement, both me and my husband.”
Singh said that, not only are they distraught by the incident, but all the medication that she was supposed to be using was taken away, with everything else that they had brought with them.
“The only pants my husband left with is the one he came in with. All the clothes they took in the suitcase. All my medication, everything is gone. I now have to get some of my medication air dashed, because they don’t have that mediation here in Guyana; and LIAT says today is out, and the next day to bring in things would be Monday through the Jet Pack. So I now have to suffer without (the medication) for a few days. It’s quiet costly, the medication is quiet costly.”
Additionally, Ms Gaumatie Singh said she had brought with her some documents to assist a Guyanese woman staying in Trinidad with the renewal of her passport. “There’s a lady who came in to Trinidad from Guyana (who) asked me to renew her passport. She did make the application, but she was asked to send down some documents. She sent that along with an authorization, and all of that gone.”
Singh said that the experience was very traumatic and has recalled memories from a previous attack which has left her in her present condition, which requires continuous surgery. “I really don’t know what else to expect at this stage. I haven’t eaten since yesterday. If we hadn’t cooperated (with the bandits), it could have been worse. The family believes that this was a planned robbery. I even asked them as they literally walked away to please give me the passport, because I am due for an eye surgery, and they didn’t even pay heed to us at all.”
Recalling the last attack, Singh said she, her husband and their grandson were on their way home when they stopped at the traffic lights close to the Guyoil gas station on Sheriff Street to speak to someone she knew. She had her window down, and all she recalled was receiving a slap in the face; and because of shock, she was unable to see who it was. At that time, she realised that someone had thrown something on her face. Singh said she struggled to come to grips with herself, but managed to seek assistance of the same person she had been speaking to earlier.
An eyewitness had reported that, just after 4 pm, a light blue car bearing an HB number plate had stopped a short distance from Singh’s car. A young man had disembarked that vehicle and started heading towards Singh’s. He had a black bag in his hand, and as he neared Singh’s Rav 4, the man pulled out a bottle with an orange liquid and threw it into the woman’s face. The eyewitness said that Singh was placed in another vehicle and rushed to the hospital.
The seat that Singh was sitting in was badly burnt, and her spectacles were lying there as well.