Berbice sleuths are continuing their investigations into an armed robbery and wounding incident committed on residents of No.19 Public Road, East Coast Berbice last week.
Carpenter Shivlall Srikissoon, 39, was relaxing in his hammock in company with his next-door neighbour, Sooklall Serkissoon, 51, who was visiting and was seated in a swing, at about 19:15 hrs last Thursday, when he was broadsided by a masked bandit holding a cutlass.
Sooklall Serkissoon became aware of the attack after he heard the lash and the groaning of his carpenter neighbour.
He subsequently sustained a laceration to his head, having sustained a chop from one of three intruders, who had partially covered their faces with handkerchiefs.
After the injury was inflicted, the bandits demanded that the men go into Shivlall Srikissoon’s house, but Sooklall Serkissoon quickly said, “I don’t live here.”
He was told to go to his home, which he quickly did, with his younger neighbour following his hurried footsteps.
After the neighbours had departed, one of the armed bandits went into Srikissoon’s home, where he met 16-year-old Keisha Mohabir and demanded cash from her.
The Rose Hall Community High School student, who was caring two toddlers, told the bandit there was no cash in the house, and he then made demands for jewellery instead.
She was unable to determine either the quantity or value of the jewellery taken by the bandit, but disclosed that “it was a lot”.
Meanwhile, a wake was being held obliquely opposite the besieged home for an overseas-based Guyanese, and Keisha Mohabir’s brother, Mahendra Dhanam, was about to go to the besieged home when he was confronted by an armed and masked bandit who was on ‘the lookout’.
That bandit was armed with a long gun, from which he fired several shots, hitting Dhanam, a pump attendant, on his thigh and torso.
Another neighbour heard what sounded like fighting, but on looking from her verandah, she felt was appeared like sand being thrown in her direction. In reality, she was being shot with pellets. Several shots were also fired at a parked car.
The bandits managed to make good their escape, while the injured residents were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where they were treated and sent away.
Investigations are continuing.