The taxi driver who was arrested shortly after gunmen snatched a bag containing $1.6M cash, raw gold and documents along with a licensed firearm from a Bartica miner/businessman on Thursday is still in custody.
According to the reports reaching Stabroek News, the incident was a `set up’. The taxi driver was transporting Nizam Kassim to various locations in the city to conduct his business.
Kassim had told Stabroek News that the man, who has been working with him for years, turned up at his hotel early and there were reports that three men were in the car while he was on his way to pick him up.
The man had recounted that around 9:25 am he had just completed business at a location on High Street and decided to check out a wholesale depot nearby.
After looking around the store he made purchases to the tune of around $190, 000 cash but as he was about to collect the cash from his bag which was in the possession of the taxi driver a man pointed a gun and him and instructed him to lie on the floor.
At first he though it was a joke but knew it was serious when he saw two other gunmen standing nearby.
In less than two minutes the men had grabbed the bag which was on a counter and his weapon which was on his person and calming walked out of the store without a challenge. The men jumped into a white car which was parked outside and fled the scene.