Armed bandits robbed Saywacks last year; wife traumatised
The 18-year-old lad, who police shot on Sunday morning in Agricola, following a robbery at Middleton Street and Campbell Avenue, Campbellville succumbed yesterday at the Georgetown Public Hospital ; Corporation (GPHC).
Dead is Selwyn Shepherd of 86 Second Street, Agricola, East Bank Demerara.
In a press release following the incident the police had stated that a resident of Campbellville was at his home about 1050 hrs watching cricket when three armed men entered his home and robbed him. Acting upon information received, including a description of the suspects, a police mobile patrol from ‘A’ Division, Georgetown proceeded to the Agricola home of Shepherd in search of him.
According to the release, Shepherd on seeing the police, fled into an alleyway in an attempt to escape and was pursued by a member of the patrol, armed with a shotgun. The release stated that a confrontation ensued and Shepherd was shot in the right thigh. He was escorted to GPHC where he was admitted. The police had also stated that the man’s injuries did not appear to be life threatening and that he was wanted at Ruimveldt Police Station in connection with a number of reports of robbery in the district. –
Shepherd died around 9:30 am yesterday.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday the young man’s uncle, Kevin Mentor said that his nephew had lived a very depressing life. “Selwyn lived the regular life of a young man in this country, with no job he wake up every morning get something to eat and lime all day.”
Mentor informed that on Sunday his nephew awoke at around 6:30 and as was his custom he made a loud noise in the neighbourhood awakening them. He said Shepherd then purchased two chickens and proceeded to a nearby yard where he and his peers would usually congregate during the day. Mentor said that he was home at the time of Shepherd’s departure and shortly after, at around 8:00 am he went to the yard. “When I got there Selo, [Shepherd] said to me ‘we’re going to cook something today.’”
Mentor said he did not stay there long, as he was on a mission, but assured Shepherd that he would return. The man said he later returned home and after spending some 45 minutes in the house he was about to leave at about 11:45 am when he heard three gunshots. “I immediately went out on the road and when I got there I saw a police vehicle turn around and stop in front of the yard where Selwyn was.”
Mentor said that he then saw about five police officers who were all dressed in civilian clothing come out of the yard, holding his nephew by the collar, and throw him into the police van. The man tearfully told this newspaper that he went closer to the scene and inquired from a group of young men who told him that Shepherd had been shot.
A resident of Agricola yesterday told this newspaper that the yard where Shepherd was at the time of the police’s visit was frequented by a group of men who usually smoked marijuana. The resident said members of the Guyana Police Force frequently raided the yard, but whenever the men saw them they would run. The resident opined that that was why Shepherd had run on seeing the police.
Residents maintained that Shepherd was a quiet person and the allegation made by the police was uncharacteristic of him.
One young man said that he had seen Shepherd in the yard at around 10:00 am on Sunday. Efforts by this newspaper to confirm what the residents said in contrast to what the police had stated proved futile.
During a telephone conversation yesterday, Inspector Lloyd Smith of the Police Public Relations Department told Stabroek News that the police were maintaining what they had stated in the press release. He further said that acting Commissioner of Police, Floyd McDonald, held a press coniference on the matter yesterday and had invited members of the electronic media. He promised to view the tape and fax this newspaper a press release, which had not come up to press time yesterday.
Meanwhile, Frank Saywack, 55, of 35 Campbell Avenue, who was robbed on Sunday, related his 20-minute ordeal to this newspaper yesterday.
According to him he was robbed during the same period last year, but that time it was his wife and daughter who were held hostage by three bandits. Saywack’s wife Hemoutie indicated that on April 24, 2001 at around 9:30 am three bandits marched into their three-bedroom house and robbed her of some $2.3 million in cash and jewellery. Mrs Saywack said that on that lay her husband was not at borne and when her eyes fell on the bandits, who were armed with guns, she fainted. She said that they held a gun to her daughter who is now 18 years old and forced her to deliver their valuables. Mrs Saywack lamented that this second attack was too much for her and she wasn’t feeling safe anymore. Her husband recounted that on Sunday he was in his room watching cricket when the bandits stormed into the house and robbed him of $300,000 US$320, two gold bands, one silver band and one NBIC ATM card.
Saywack who operates a parlour grocery and a mechanic shop told Stabroek News that the doors to his home were all half closed. He said as soon as the men entered his house they rushed to his room. He said one of them pointed a gun at him while another took a sheet and secured it over his face. The third man, he said, tied him up with scotch tape. After binding him, one of the men then removed the sheet from his face and inquired from him where he kept his valuables. According to Saywack, he pointed to his press (cupboard) key, which was hanging on the bedroom door. “One of them opened the press and take out all de money including US.”
The man said that while one of the bandits searched his press another broke into other cupboards checking for other things, while the third one remained at his bedside with the gun pointed at him. He said one of the men wore a blue cap and another had long hair. He said that after removing the money, they threatened to kill him while demanding more money, “I told them me nah get more money that’s all I have.” Saywack, still shaken after the incident, said that while under the sheet with the man standing over him with the gun, he kept his eyes closed and prayed. He said he only spoke when the men asked him to. He said that at one time the men rotated guarding him, “I coulda hear them saying you come now and look at he and leh me check.
“All during this time no one knew what was happening to me, my wife had gone by her daughter. The mechanic shop was closed and the grocery parlour was closed so nobody was there.”
He said that after checking in every conceivable comer of his house the men damaged his bedroom ceiling still checking for valuables and after finding none, one of them kicked him and slapped his face. He said he maintained his quiet until they went away.
Saywack mentioned that the three men made their way slowly out of the area. “They walked out the gate and headed east, but I couldn’t say anything because my mouth was taped.”
He said that when the men left, it took him some ten minutes to remove the tape on his mouth, legs and hands.
His wife, who wasn’t home at the time, indicated that she had left earlier the morning to vis# her daughter at Enterprise, East Coast Demerara. She said whenever she went out she would ring her husband from where she was, informing him that she had arrived safely. She said she had tried calling him on Sunday at around the same time the bandits were in the house and the telephone rang out.
Mrs Saywack said that she didn’t feel safe about continuing their business. She said she normally ran the grocery store, but would close it soon. “I can’t continue doing that business because when my husband ain’t deh home they will come and kill me.”
She said that since the robbery she had been suffering from low blood pressure. The Saywacks said that they enjoyed relative peace and quiet in the neighbourhood and had good relationships with residents.
