Police yesterday said that they have recovered video footage of the suspects in Wednesday afternoon’s double murder on Regent Street, but the images are blurred.
Commander of ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commis-sioner, Welton Trotz told Stabroek News yesterday that investigators had uplifted the tapes from a Closed Circuit Television camera that was fitted to the building where the killings took place. He said that the tapes have shown images of individuals but they are not clear.
Trotz further stated that investigators had questioned a number of persons, but admitted that they had not made any significant breakthrough in the case.
Gunmen on Wednesday afternoon killed two Brazilian miners and injured a third during a robbery at Regent Guest House on Regent Street. The killers escaped on a motor bike despite police foot patrols in the city.
Those who died in the carnage were: Silverino Pequeno Alves Junio, 45, a dredge owner and Francisco Lima, 46.
Junio was shot in his head while Lima was hit in his abdomen. A third man, Jose Alenor Ovido D’Oliveira was gun butted and was treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital and sent away.
Police had said in a statement on Wednesday evening that the incident occurred around 1:10 pm. According to the police, investigations revealed that the men along with D’Oliveira and another Brazilian had earlier gone to do business at Pure Diamonds Establishment on East Street, Georgetown, where D’Oliveira collected $1.5 million.
The Brazilians later returned to the Guest House where they were staying and were in the bar when one of the bandits entered and ordered an aerated drink, the police statement said. “While being attended to, he pulled out a firearm and attacked D’Oliveira, hitting him in the head with the firearm while taking away the bag with the money,” the police statement noted. Alves Junio went to D’Oliveira’s assistance and was shot in his head, the police said, noting that upon seeing what was happening Lima ran out of the building to escape and was shot in the abdomen by the other bandit who was outside. The two armed attackers then escaped on a motor cycle that was parked nearby. The police said the two men who were shot were rushed to the GPHC where Alves Junio was pronounced dead on arrival and Lima died while receiving medical treatment.
Stabroek News re-visited the scene yesterday and observed that it was business as usual. Stabroek News was told that both bodies would be flown back to Brazil for burial.
A number of Brazilian-operated businesses have suffered attacks at the hands of criminals roaming the streets. There is a significant Brazilian population in the city connected with the mining industry.
