A 38-year-old father of two was gunned down early yesterday morning as he was about to leave the Cool Breeze Guest House in West Ruimveldt and while relatives say it was a robbery, police investigators are working on the theory that he was the victim of a `hit’.
Imtiaz Roopnarine called `Bobby’ of Alexander Village died almost instantly from a gunshot that struck him in his mouth as he tried to evade one of the gunmen.
The attackers were so desperate to take their target down that one of them scaled a fence to corner Roopnarine. His body is at the Lyken’s Funeral home awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Police said in a press release yesterday that around 0530 hours, the businessman was attacked and shot to his head by a man armed with a gun in the compound of a West Ruimveldt Hotel. The release added that the victim’s jewellery is “suspected to have been taken away” by the perpetrator.
According to the release no arrest has yet been made and investigations are continuing.
When contacted, Police Commissioner (ag) Leroy Brumell confirmed the shooting.
He said that based on the information gathered so far, Roopnarine checked into the guest house around 4 am and was confronted as he was about to leave the premises an hour and a half later. Brumell explained that the man was wearing a gold chain and that is what might have made him a target. He said that the man’s licensed firearm was recovered from the scene. This newspaper was told that