Police are investigating whether Rondell Marks, who was shot and killed on Tuesday last, played a role in the shooting and robbery of money changer Vishwahnauth Nouwbat earlier this month.
A police source informed Stabroek News that ballistics testing will be conducted on the pistol which was recovered when Marks was killed to ascertain if it was involved in the shooting of Nouwbat or any other recent crime.
On Marks’ Facebook page, which was viewed by this newspaper, is a photograph he had posted on November 7 at 12.46 pm of a firearm resting on the headline of a newspaper article on the shooting of the money changer.
Nouwbat called ‘Vishal’ of ‘C’ Field Sophia, Greater Georgetown was shot once to his abdomen around 4.15 pm on November 6 while he was seated with another person in a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen fast food restaurant at Water and America streets, Georgetown. He was rushed to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
The police had said in a statement that Nouwbat was in the company of another person at a table when the suspect approached and demanded that he hand over his day’s earnings which he refused to do. As a result, the suspect whipped out a handgun and shot the victim once to the left side of his abdomen and escaped.
Marks also known as ‘Romel Hoppie’ and ‘Blackie’, 34, a former police officer of Suddie Housing Scheme, Essequibo Coast was killed on Tuesday in a shootout with police at Vryheid Village, West Canje Berbice.
His mother Monica Marks positively identified his remains the following day at Arokium Funeral Home after she saw her son’s picture on social media sites.
On Tuesday last, police had visited the house Marks was occupying in Vryheid Village to investigate the theft of 29 head of sheep from a Betsy Ground farmer and were allegedly confronted by Marks, who rushed inside, armed himself with a gun and attempted to shoot the armed policeman who was behind him. However, the policeman shot Marks who was then taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The police retrieved a silver Taurus pistol and six live matching rounds from the house, along with a phone, two silver rings, a silver chain, a laptop computer and several electronic gadgets. Ranks have confirmed that the phone, rings and the chain belonged to a 27-year-old man of Ankerville, Port Mourant, who was robbed at gunpoint on November 11, at Smithfield. The robber reportedly fit the description of Marks and allegedly discharged a round from a silver handgun during the attack. The farmhouse where Marks was shot is owned by a well-known convict who lives at Mount Sinai, New Amsterdam
The police had also said that the farmer positively identified 12 of his sheep tied at the back of the farmhouse.
