BUSINESSMAN Jaiprakesh Katwaru, fuel station operator on the West Bank of Demerara, was preparing to transact business with Guyoil at its Distribution Depot on the East Bank Demerara Public Road yesterday; but as soon as he stopped his truck and attempted to disembark, a lone gunman walked up to its door, placed a gun against his belly, and demanded his bag containing $2.7 million in cash.Katwaru said he had 2.7 million in the bag, but while he was handing over the bag to the bandit, two hundred thousand dollars fell out, thus the bandit made good his escape with only 2.5 million.

The bandit quickly joined an accomplice on a waiting motorcycle and they made good their escape.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday afternoon at his home, the businessman said a report was made at the Providence Police Station and ranks accompanied him back to the scene of the attack, where the bandit had left a helmet.

The police have, however, told him that it may be a bit difficult for them to lift prints from the helmet, since because the helmet had been left in the rain, the possibility exists that the prints had been completely removed.

Katwaru disclosed that this is the fourth instance that he has been robbed since entering the petrol business. He was, nevertheless, thankful that, in each instance of being robbed, his life has been spared.

He expressed dissatisfaction at the way the East Bank management of the fuel company treated with the matter, which according to him and other relatives was not as if his loss was affecting the company.

He described as very nonsensical Guyoil’s policy of not allowing businessmen desirous of transacting business immediate entry into the compound, despite management knowing that they often have millions in cash on their persons.

He suggested that the company arrive at some arrangement to facilitate fuel retailers entry into the compound either on foot or with their vehicles, so that they can go into the finance department and make their payments and then be allowed to return to their vehicles without that amount of cash on them.

The system that obtains mandates retailers to sit in their vehicles with millions of dollars on their persons, which they are able to relieve themselves of only when they enter the compound with their trucks to fuel up.

There are at present no cameras mounted outside of the depot which could cover the area where retailers park their trucks. That is because the fuel station which once stood at the front of the depot is presently under renovation, hence the cameras which were once present have been removed to facilitate work in that respect.

The police are continuing their investigations into the matter.

(By Leroy Smith)