A Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara shop owner and her brother were beaten and robbed yesterday when six gunmen, two of whom posed as customers, attacked her business.
The attack occurred around 10.30am yesterday while shop owner Farah Mohamed was watching television in her Lot 2282 Parfait Harmonie house, where her shop is also located.
She said one of the men arrived and requested to purchase a five-gallon bottle of water.
Since the water was stored in a cage, she called on her brother, Navin, who usually assists but got no response.
As a result, Mohamed came from behind the counter to unlock the area when she was held at gunpoint. “I collect he $500 and give he change and I ask he to help me with the water and by time I look up I see he had a gun in he hand and another one come in and they tell me not to mek any stupid noise or I gon’ dead,” a still traumatised Mohamed explained.
By that time, the men had already beaten her brother and tied him to the front stairway of the house.
Four other men subsequently joined and they took Mohamed into the shop, where they demanded that she hand over her cash. She said during this time, she was gun-butted and badly beaten about her body.
Mohamed, fearful for her life, handed over the cash she had in the shop but the men weren’t satisfied.
“They drag meh in meh house and tell me that they know I got more money and gold let me pass it over and they just keep beating me and I tek meh husband wallet and we jewellery and give them,” she said, while adding that at this point the bandits were still unsatisfied and continued to deal her blows about her body.
When Mohamed told the bandits that she had no more cash in her possession, one of the men told another to shoot her. “He fire a shot and they ransack my whole house and another one of them tell the others that my brother ain’t there no more, he get away and they panic and escape,” Mohamed related.
She said during the ordeal, which lasted for about 15 minutes, the men threatened to kill her if she made any noise.
The bandits escaped in a Route 48 minibus.
Neighbours were alerted and one of them chased behind the minibus. The neighbour, however, lost track of the men while in the vicinity of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
Mohamed was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where she was treated and sent away.
The police were alerted and an investigation into the robbery has been launched. Up to late yesterday afternoon, no arrest was made.
The attack is the latest in a series of robberies where the perpetrators have posed as customers.
