–accused of tailing, robbing elderly Man of God

TWO men who allegedly trailed and robbed a 66-year-old pastor of $1.8M as he left a city bank were on Monday charged and remanded to prison by Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman for armed robbery.

Renhart Khan, a 31-year-old fish vendor of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara and 25-year-old Alexander LaCruz of Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast, both denied that on November 22 at Church Street, Georgetown, while being armed with a gun, they robbed Pastor Eldon Anderson.
Police Prosecutor Shawn Gonsalves objected to the pair being released on bail on the grounds of the seriousness of the charge, and the fact that a gun was used to commit the crime.

As such, the magistrate ruled in the prosecution’s favour and remanded the duo until December 11.
According to reports, the victim left his North Haslington home at around 08:45hrs with $400,000 in his possession, using motor vehicle PVV 3830.
When he reached the city, he reportedly made a stop at a bank where he withdrew $1.4M which was to be sent overseas.

He then went to another city bank, where he planned on making the transfer, but was told that he needed some additional information before he could do so, which necessitated his having to leave the bank.
The court heard that the pastor was at first reluctant to go, knowing that he had all that money on him, but in the end decided to.

It was while he was driving east along Church Street on his way to get the information that he was rear-ended by a silver-grey Toyota Spacio.
Upon getting out of his vehicle to inspect the damage, he was reportedly approached by the men, who, gun in hand, demanded that he turn over to them all the cash he was carrying.

He must have hesitated, as the gunmen well and truly assaulted him before searching the car and eventually finding the money.
And as has become their wont these days after such an operation, the bandits discharged a few rounds into the air before making good their escape.

Police found the evidence of their folly at the scene of the crime.