FOLLOWING the fatal shooting of Ryan Couchman, 34, on Sunday afternoon by an off-duty cop at Linden/Soesdyke Highway junction, East Bank Demerara (EBD), the police said he was killed during a robbery but his relatives and friends are contending he was shot dead in cold blood during a misunderstanding.

Although he has a checkered background and was charged for armed robberies several times, eyewitnesses said Couchman was murdered.

According to eyewitnesses, Couchman was the peacemaker when a group of men he was liming with were engaged in a quarrel which escalated into a fight during which the off-duty policeman was injured.

It was then Couchman was shot when four rounds were discharged and he was conveyed to the Diamond Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The man’s wife, Natasha Couchman, told the media that her spouse was at a creek along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway with friends earlier and had stopped at the junction to have some beverages when they encountered the off-duty cop.

Couchman is the father of two and was said to be a miner.

Police in a press statement after 09:00 hours on Sunday night said they have launched investigations into an incident that occurred at about 19:00 hours on January 04, 2015, in which an armed policeman in plain clothes was attacked and robbed of his gold jewellery by three men at Soesdyke, EBD.

During the robbery the policeman, who was being repeatedly assaulted by the perpetrators, discharged a round which fatally wounded one of the men who has been identified as Ryan Couchman, 34, of Diamond, EBD. The two accomplices managed to escape.

The injured policeman received medical treatment at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, EBD.

Ryan Couchman is known to the police and has been previously charged on a number of occasions for robbery under arms.
On November 18, 2008 Couchman alleged that police beat him for a confession following an armed robbery during which two persons were robbed at gunpoint of a quantity of cash and other items.
Couchman of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was not required to plead to two indictable counts of robbery under arms.

It is alleged that on July 9, 2008 at Thomas Street, Couchman used a gun to rob Assif Bacchus of a quantity of Guyana and U.S. currency and a cell phone, all to the value of $473,000.
It is also alleged that on the same day and place, Couchman used a gun to rob Jovia Rahaman of $1.7M.

On January 25, 2011 Couchman was accused of the $4.7M Bel Air Park robbery and was remanded.
Couchman, of Lot 1360 Eighteenth Street, Diamond New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara was remanded to prison on three charges of robbery under arms, resulting from a heist on January 20, 2011 at a diamond dealer’s business. Appearing before acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, he was accused of having:
* On January 20, being armed with a gun, robbed Samuel Lema of a laptop computer and bag – a total value of $210,000;
* the same day, being armed with a gun, robbed Vico Cohan of $4M and other property – a total value of $4.4M, belonging to Guy Logic Inc; and
* on that day too, being armed with a gun, robbed Christopher Mc Adam of three cellular phones among booty worth $127,000.

The prosecutor said the prisoner and four other men went to the business premises of Guy Logic Inc., in Zinnia Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown and were let in because Couchman was known to the security guard on duty.

Harvey said Couchman was introduced to Lema, and was being shown some merchandise when the former held the latter at gunpoint and demanded from him and all the other victims their belongings.