Seven persons have been held in connection with the murder of Danian Jagdeo, the phone card vendor who was shot during a robbery on Wednesday at Adventure, Corentyne, according to ‘B’ Division Commander Ian Amsterdam.
Amsterdam yesterday said the suspected murder weapon was also found and a car suspected to have been used to transport the two robbers was also impounded.
Around 3.30pm on Wednesday, Danian, a father of four, was shot and robbed of an undisclosed amount of phone cards and cash by bandits.
Amsterdam yesterday told Stabroek News that those in custody hail from Rose Hall Town, Canje and other areas on the Corentyne. “The persons arrested are now being processed. Let’s say from seven last night to seven this morning, we would have worked during the night based on leads we had, it led from one thing to the next,” Amsterdam noted. He further stated that investigators were able to place into custody the young man who the perpetrators would have sent to buy gasoline for the motorcycle they used to escape. “Then we were able to get the person who got the false licence plate, CD 2125, made. We were able to get the person who had the motorcycle,” he said, while noting that the motorcycle was stolen from a resident in Belvedere, Corentyne sometime on February 2. “After then what transpired is what one of the persons arrested would have overheard the others planning the robbery, who were the persons to commit the act, we eventually arrested all those persons,” he noted.
Amsterdam said the police also learned where the weapon was hidden after the robbery. “After we had all the players in custody, we took one of the persons back to the residence, where the weapon was originally stashed, we went back to the same place and found it there,” he said. He further noted that ballistics tests will be carried out to ensure that it was the gun that was used in the fatal robbery. The weapon found was a .32 snub-nose revolver, which was discovered at Bloomfield, Corentyne, where one of the suspects resides. “We’re gonna do ballistic tests on that and put the other pieces together,” he stated.
Also in custody is the driver of a car who picked up the two perpetrators that executed the daring daytime robbery as well as the car.
Meanwhile, according to information gathered, the police were able to obtain footage of Jagdeo dropping off phone cards to one of his regular customers in Springlands, Corentyne. Investigators also noticed in the footage that a silver-coloured car was moving slowly next to Jagdeo’s car, which was parked outside of the store at that time. This publication was reliably informed that investigators further noticed the silver car driving past Jagdeo’s parked car, then turning back to further follow Jagdeo as he went about his business. Investigators are working on spotting the number plate of the car in the footage in efforts to compare to the licence plate of the car they have impounded.
According to Amsterdam, an autopsy was done yesterday and it revealed that Jagdeo died due to shock and haemorrhaging. He further revealed that two warheads were removed from Jagdeo’s body during the autopsy. Amsterdam stressed that the police are wrapping up the investigation in an effort to seek advice quickly from the Director of Public Prosecutions to institute charges.
Jagdeo was dropping off phone cards at a grocery when a man wearing a hat to hide his face entered. Jagdeo became suspicious and asked the shopkeeper if she knew the man. She said no and the man then whipped out a gun and fired a shot. The shopkeeper ran and hid in the adjoining house.
According to reports, a scuffle ensued between Jagdeo and the gunman, who shot him twice. The bandit then grabbed Jagdeo’s bag and ran outside, where his accomplice, who wore a full face helmet, was waiting for him on the stolen motorcycle. The two men rode to Friendship, Corentyne, where they left the motorcycle and they were picked up by the silver car. The men then drove to Springlands, Corentyne but then turned around and proceeded back to Rose Hall Town.
Meanwhile, Commander Amsterdam along with Sub Ordinate Officer-in-Charge of Whim Police Station Sergeant Ibaran and other ranks along with Pastor Gajraj Dindial, from the Cops and Faith Network in Berbice, met with the relatives of Jagdeo. Amsterdam, speaking with Jagdeo’s wife, assured that justice will be served and the perpetrators will face the brunt of the law.
Jagdeo’s wife, Mary Jagdeo, stated that her husband would constantly pray for a good life for his family and children.
