South American businessman Jose Arturo Castillo Balcazar was allegedly fatally shot by a soldier at Eteringbang on Saturday.
In a brief statement issued yesterday the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) said that preliminary investigations have revealed that “a soldier at the location may have been responsible for the shooting” and has since been placed under close arrest.
The rank, according to the GDF, was expected to be brought to Georgetown some time yesterday and will be handed over the Guyana Police Force (GPF) upon arrival for further investigations to be conducted.
The incident, the GDF statement reported, occurred at about 9 am on Saturday at Eteringbang in Region Seven. The army has a base at that location.
In a subsequent release, the police said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Balcazar. The deceased, according to the police, was 52 and a Venezuelan businessman.
The GDF had reported that the deceased was from Colombia; a country which borders Venezuela.
There is also a difference in the time, reported by the GDF and GPF, at which the shooting occurred. The GDF said the incident occurred at about 9 am while the GPF reported that it occurred at about 10.30 am.
Balcazar, according to police, was travelling in a boat along the Wenamu River in the vicinity of Arau, Eteringbang when the incident occurred. It is unclear how the man had entered Guyana and for what purpose.
A team of investigators, police further reported, has been dispatched to the area.
Meanwhile, repeated efforts made to contact Commander of Police E&F Division David Ramnarine for a comment were futile.
Balcazar is the first foreigner to be killed in Guyana this year. Last year two Brazilians were murdered in the E&F Division.
Evanero Tarmo, 44, was shot during a robbery on February 4, 2010 at Oku Backdam, Cuyuni and Jose Rodriguez de Oliveira was chopped to death at Aranka on August 7 the same year following a dispute.
