The police made a major breakthrough in their investigation into the murder of Regent Street businessman Farouk Hamid when diligent ranks at Aranka in the Cuyuni spotted and arrested the prime suspect last week.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum contacted yesterday confirmed that an arrest was indeed made last Friday and that the suspect has since been transferred to Georgetown to assist police with their investigations.
Sources close to the case told Stabroek News yesterday that the suspect who was Hamid’s handyman has since confessed to the gruesome crime which occurred in April of this year. This is the same person who the media had been told had a misunderstanding with the businessman prior to the killing.
It has long been suspected that whoever killed Hamid had to have been familiar with the man’s dogs as neighbours did not hear any commotion in the yard or dogs barking prior to the body being found shortly before 9 am on April 16.
Based on the information received by this newspaper the man has told investigators that the crime was committed by himself and two others. Police are now looking for the two accomplices.
According to the suspect, he and his accomplices stabbed Hamid twice to the chest with a knife that was usually used to cut up dog meat before lashing him to the head. As he lay dead on the ground, they then relieved him of the valuables he had on his person including his licenced firearm before going upstairs to search for more valuables.
A source said that the trio managed to gather up an undisclosed amount of cash and other valuables and these items were placed in a black bag. After they would have fled the area, the items in the bag were divided among them and they went their separate ways, the source said.
It would appear that police always suspected the handyman was involved in the killing and as such his photograph was circulated to various police stations.
Investigators believe that following the killing he fled to Aranka where he remained until ranks there spotted him.
Though police believe that they have the prime suspect, they have to do some additional probing. Relatives suspect that a woman who was close to Hamid had a hand in the killing.
Hamid who owned Hamson’s General Store was discovered by his reputed wife in the backyard of his Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara home. The woman had gone to the home after she failed to make contact with him.
Last month the police held three persons but after several days in police custody they were all released.
