Three soldiers are currently in police custody for the fatal shooting of Colombian Jose Aturo Castillo Balcazar, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud said yesterday.
Speaking with Stabroek News, Persaud explained that police are currently taking statements from the three members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF). Investiga-tions, he said, are still ongoing and a team of police are still at Etering-bang conducting investigations.
Balcazar, according to Persaud, operated a shop in the Eteringbang area. He said that on Saturday morning, when the incident occurred, Balcazar was in a boat transporting four men to Guyana from Venezuela. Two of the men are Brazilians and two are Venezuelans.
The soldier, who allegedly shot Balcazar, had been delivered to police. Persaud said that two other soldiers who were reportedly involved in the incident were also handed over to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for questioning.
This newspaper understands that the soldiers were patrolling the area when they saw Balcazar and the four men in the boat. The soldiers, Stabroek News learnt, indicated to the men that they should stop but Balcazar, who was manning the boat, continued to proceed along his course.
A senior police source has since told this newspaper that the two Venezuelans and two Brazilians have since been questioned. One of the men, the source reported, told police that shortly after the soldiers were “ignored” they heard two “explosions.” The man told police that seconds after he heard the sounds Balcazar collapsed.
Police have not indicated whether Balcazar had entered Guyana legally or if he was given permission to operate his business at Eteringbang. Stabroek News understands that Balcazar usually transported persons from the Venezuelan shore to Guyana.
In a statement on Monday, the GDF said preliminary investigations revealed that “a soldier at the location [Eteringbang] may have been responsible for the shooting” to death of Balcazar. The deceased, according to the army, is a Colombian.However, the GPF had subsequently said that Balcazar is a Venezuelan. When questioned about the conflicting reports of the man’s nationality, Persaud said that so far investigations have indicated that the deceased was indeed a Colombian.
The incident, according to police, occurred at about 10.30 am on Saturday as Balcazar was travelling in a boat along the Wenamu River in the vicinity of Arau, Eteringbang, in Region Seven. Balcazar’s body is currently at the Lyken’s Funeral Parlour. A post-mortem examination is expected to be conducted this morning.
