Police yesterday detained and interrogated a key security operative for the slain Ricardo Rodrigues, even as they issued a wanted bulletin for another man for questioning about his death.
The Guyana Police Force said they want Mark De Abreu for questioning in connection with the execution-style murder of Rodrigues, who was gunned down on October 15 at the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club, at Albert Street, Georgetown.
The name of Rodrigues’ bodyguard has not been released. He submitted himself yesterday to police in the company of his lawyer, police sources told Stabroek News.
Meanwhile, according to a wanted bulletin released by police, De Abreu’s last known address was Lot 66 Broad Street, Charlestown, Georgetown.
Under pressure to solve a spate of killings which had occurred, police in 2010 had also issued a bulletin for De Abreu, along with nine others. De Abreu’s name was also mentioned in a June 19, 2007 United States embassy cable, published by WikiLeaks.
Rodrigues, 40, called ‘Fatman,’ was fatally shot by a group of men, in a hit believed to have been linked to a “weapons for drugs” trade that went sour.
Three other persons, Aubrey Henry, Michael Hopkinson and Jean Le Blanc, were wounded in the shooting and they were rushed to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where they were later admitted. Le Blanc remains hospitalised.
Rodrigues was killed days after being released on station bail by police, who had detained him over an arms find in Lethem at the start of the month.
At Tabatinga, Lethem, police found four automatic rifles along with four magazines and 389 rounds of 7.62×39 calibre ammunition; six M-16 rifles along with two magazines and 74 matching rounds; two shrapnel hand grenades; an Icon VHF radio set; an Icon hand-held radio set; and a roll of camouflage material on October 1. Police had issued wanted bulletins for Rodrigues and his cousin, Clive King, after the find. Rodrigues surrendered and was released after habeas corpus proceedings were filed on his behalf. King has been in hiding since the discovery. It is believed he fled the country to Brazil.
Anyone with information that may lead to De Abreu’s arrest is asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 226-1326, 227-1270, 226-7065, 225-2227, 225-6411, 911 or the nearest police station.
All information will be treated with strict confidence, the police said.
