A journalist is nursing injuries after being beaten and robbed at First Avenue, Dairy Old Bridge, on the West Bank of Demerara, on Saturday.
Based on information provided by the Guyana Police Force (GPF), 54-year-old Michael Benjamin was reportedly driving his car, PMM 2732. along the Number One Canal Public Road, heading west, when he collided with a motorcycle, causing the rider and pillion rider to fall to the ground.
Benjamin, a journalist, of Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, further told the police that he exited his vehicle to check on ‘the victims’ and offered to compensate them for any damage caused.

In a twist of fate, the ‘victims’ became hostile and demanded that Benjamin pay them $40,000 for damage caused to the motorcycle. Benjamin, unfortunately, could not meet this demand immediately because he hadn’t that amount of money “in his pocket.”
The ‘victims’, recognising his conundrum, allowed Benjamin to travel home for his money and return. Officers said the journalist returned with G$30,000 and informed the ‘victims’ that the balance would be paid at a later date, at which point, the two ‘victims’, turned bandits, became angry and dealt Benjamin several punches and kicks about his body, causing him to fall to the ground.

The journalist further alleged that once he had collapsed, one of the suspects retrieved his grey iPhone and $30,000 from his left pocket. The two bandits then escaped in an easterly direction along the Canal Public Road, using the motorcycle. The brand and registration number of the said motorcycle are unknown.
Several persons in the area were questioned by the police about this incident, but this garnered no useful information, ranks said. The area was checked for evidence and CCTV cameras, but this proved futile.