…police to investigate

CRIME Chief Lyndon Alves has ordered an investigation into reports that mourners at the funeral of an accident victim on Sunday fired several gunshots in the air as part of paying their respects.

On Sunday, October 7, mourners gathered at the Stabroek Market area and then later moved to the cemetery at Le Repentir as they bade farewell to an accident victim identified as “Froggie”.

The young man was among two persons who were killed in an accident on the East Coast Demerara when the car in which they were travelling careened off the road and collided with a lamp pole and brought down a steel gate.

At the funeral on Sunday, a number of gunshots rang out in open air even as mourners were still gathered at the cemetery. It was reported that as many as 50 shots were fired into the air as a sign of salute to the deceased. Guyana Chronicle was informed that at some point during the lawlessness, there was a police presence but no arrest was made.

When this newspaper contacted Divisional Commander Marlon Chapman, he said he was unaware of the incident. When the particulars were put to him as communicated to this publication, the commander responded: “I don’t know anything about gunshots being fired and nothing was reported…”

When contacted for a comment on the matter, Superintendent of Police Jairam Ramlakhan said he too was not aware of the incident. “Well, if the crime chief tells you he heard something about that, let him investigate it,” Ramlakhan stated when he was told that Alves confirmed that he did receive information about the shooting and had asked a detective in ‘A’ Division to look into the matter.

As a result of the lawlessness at the funeral on Sunday, two persons died.

The first was a pensioner, Orin Roberts, who was struck down by a motorcyclist, who along with dozens of others, were using the road recklessly as they made their way behind the funeral procession, revving motorcycles and performing stunts. The motorcyclist who struck down Roberts also died late on Tuesday night.

The pensioner was struck down at the corner of princes and John streets. His relatives indicated that he was standing on the roadway when the motorcyclist lost control and slammed into him.