Canadian national Jean Le Blanc, who was shot and wounded during the execution of Ricardo Rodrigues two weeks ago, fell into a coma this morning and died shortly after in the High Dependency Unit of the Georgetown Hospital, a hospital official has confirmed.
The official could not say what led to the death of the 62 year old man who from all appearances was recovering. While expressing shock at his passing, the official said that a post-mortem examination will have to be done to determine how he died.
Contacted by Stabroek News, Crime Chief Seelall Persaud was initially unaware of the man’s dead and later said that the man fell ill last night and was pronounced dead today at 11 am.
The sudden death of the man will now raise a series of question as up to a few days ago he appeared strong and was stressing that he wanted to return to Canada so as to receive better medical care.
The actions of the police were apparently delaying his departure from Guyana as investigators were in possession of his passport and some cash. He would have needed his passport in order to leave Guyana. Although they had promised to go on several occasion to take a statement, the police never turned up at the stipulated times.
Rodrigues, 40, was the clear target of the attack, in which LeBlanc and two other persons were shot when gunmen walked into the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club on Thomas Lands and opened fire.
A bullet struck Le Blanc in the buttocks and was later removed during an emergency operation. In his bid to escape, the man fractured his hip which rendered him immobile.
Based on reports from the hospital, the man had no life threatening injuries.
When questioned as to the purpose of his stay in Guyana and the reason for him being at the GMR&SC, LeBlanc had said he was on vacation. He added that he went to the GMR&SC after a taxi driver who was chauffeuring him around the capital recommended it, as they were passing to go into the National Park, to have “some cold beers.”
Rodrigues was an associate of convicted drug lord Roger Khan, who is currently serving a sentence in a US jail. Over the years until the time of his death, he had been implicated in drugs and gun related crimes but was never charged.
Rodrigues was killed days after turning himself in to police, who had issued a wanted bulletin for him in relation to an arms find at Tabatinga, Lethem. Though one man was charged police had issued wanted bulletin for Rodrigues and his cousin, Clive King. The latter remains at large.
