“They kick me up and slap me with [their] gun.” This was the account of another victim of the recent Five Star robbery/murder.
According to 27-year-old Basdeo Kumar of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, on the day of the incident, after the two bandits intercepted them [he and six others], they were ordered to dismount the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) bikes and lie face-down on the ground. Kumar, called `Biscuit’, related that he did as he was told but his colleague Cleveland Smithet was slow in complying, as he decided to hand over all his gold as was commanded. After retrieving the gold and shooting the younger of the two Smithet brothers, the bandits allegedly turned to Trevor [the elder] and demanded his share. Kumar said that Trevor failed to respond to this request and as a result was struck in the head with one of the bandits’ gun and was subsequently shot. It was after suffering the gunshot wound, he said, that Trevor directed the perpetrators to his bag.
Kumar continued that the men also took away the one and a half ounces in gold that he [Kumar] had been travelling with. He related that following the incident he remained with Trevor until he was taken home to Kuru Kuru, before he himself travelled home.
The still audibly shaken man is in agreement with his injured colleague that the entire incident was a set up by the rider of the ATV bike.
Early last Tuesday morning, the two Smithet brothers along with Kumar and four others were venturing out from the interior on two ATV bikes, when they were intercepted by two masked men, armed with guns. Reports revealed that the men robbed the travelers of a quantity of gold and shot and killed the younger Smithet, while injuring the elder brother. The surviving brother had on Thursday revealed that two suspects: a male and a female had been arrested by police in connection with the incident. Last night he related that he was made to understand that the two have been brought out from the interior by the authorities and they remain in police custody. Additionally, the passenger who had escaped from the armed men into the bushes has reportedly been found and is said to be in the interior still.
Efforts made by this newspaper to contact police on this latest development have proven futile.
