THE police are investigating an armed robbery which has left a pastor at the Letter Kenny Full Gospel Church terrified.

Around 01:00 hrs on Thursday, three men armed with a gun and cutlasses entered the home of Kalyan Etwaru called “Rohan” of Lot 12 Letter Kenny Public Road, East Berbice, Corentyne.

The men gained entry to the house by breaking a window in the lower flat on the building. During the 45-minute ordeal, the pastor, who is also a teacher at the Port Mourant Secondary School, was beaten about the body, gun-butted and kicked.

At one point, one of the men held the gun to his forehead and threatened to shoot him in the face if he did not hand over cash and valuables. He reportedly handed over in excess of $250,000 to the robbers as well as funds gathered for a missionary who resides in an interior location.

A shaken Etwaru said he was home alone when the bandits struck.

“I was almost down the steps when I was confronted by two men– one had a gun and the other had a cutlass. The one with the gun punched me in the face and I fell backwards. He then ordered that I do not make sound,” Etwaru said.

The pastor said he was then pushed to the ground by one of the bandits, who demanded the keys for the church and for him to hand over the money box.

The Letter Kenny Full Gospel Church is located next door to where the pastor lives.

He explained that the money box is placed in the church for donations towards a building project.

After continuously telling them that he does have the church keys in his possession, the men continued to beat him while one held him at gunpoint.

As the robbers continued to beat him, he said he begged that they spare his life for the sake of his three children.
“They then started to demand cash and gold and I told them I don’t have and that’s when he pointed the gun to the middle of my forehead, saying he will shoot me. Sunday we collected an offering for a missionary and that, along [with] some of my money, I hand over,” the pastor said.

He contacted the police immediately after the bandits left and the cops, who arrived shortly after, took him to the Port Mourant Hospital for treatment.

Not arrest has been made so far as police launch an investigation into the matter.