Police yesterday released three officials of Fenix Airways Inc, the company which leased the small aircraft from Air Services Limited which disappeared from the Anna Regina airstrip on Sunday.
The men’s release came a few hours after attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall had approached the High Court with a writ of habeas corpus seeking the release of Vladimir Vanzo, who is the major shareholder of the Fenix Airways. Justice Jainarayan Singh Jr later issued an order nisi to Commissioner of Police (ag) Henry Greene asking him to show cause why Vladimir Vanzo should not be released.
The matter was fixed for 1 pm in the High Court but around midday Vanzo and two brothers who are also directors of the company were released on $100,000 station bail. They are however expected to report to the police every day.
Police in a statement on Monday said that the blue and white Piper Seneca aircraft with red stripes and marking, 8RGAA on the tail disappeared from the airstrip between 8 am on Sunday and 7 am on Monday.
Air Services had sold the plane to Fenix Airways Inc about a month ago, but the company did not pay in full and as such the registration of the aircraft has remained with it pending full payment. Residents had told this newspaper on Monday that they had seen the aircraft circling before touching down on Sunday.
According to them, they saw what appeared to be persons refuelling the plane before it took off once again.
Meanwhile, in an affidavit in support of the application for Vanzo’s release, his wife Nandranie Vanzo said that her husband is the majority shareholder of Fenix Airways, which leased the aircraft from Air Services. She said that one of the pilots on Sunday requested to use the plane to transport his family to Essequibo.
According to the woman the pilot landed the plane and escorted his family to a relative’s home but when he returned the aircraft was missing. Mrs. Vanzo said all of this time her husband who is a naturalized Guyanese citizen was at his Enterprise, East Coast Demerara home. She argued that her husband did not commit any offence within or outside of Guyana.
