The police are on the hunt for four men who attacked businessman Mahadeo Shiwpaul and his family at their Good Hope, East Coast Demerara home on Sunday and carted off an undisclosed amount of cash.
The attack, which occurred around 9.30pm, was recorded by surveillance cameras at the Lot 36 Good Hope property.
During the five-minute attack, the men, who were all masked and armed with handguns, assaulted Shiwpaul’s wife and his 23-year-old daughter, before making good their escape with a bag containing an undisclosed amount of the cash, which represented the family’s earnings for the weekend. They also took away two rings his wife was wearing, a watch and a cell phone.
Stabroek News was told that the family had just returned from mandir when they were attacked by the gunmen, who arrived in a car.
The bandits ordered the members of the family to walk to the back of the premises, after which they demanded that they open the bond door and hand over the cash. During this time, they also dealt several blows to the businessman’s wife and his daughter.
Two of the men made good their escape in the waiting car, while the other two drove away with the family’s vehicle, a Prado jeep, PKK 3132, which was later found abandoned on the Good Hope railway embankment.
The family operates grocery stalls in several markets, including at Plaisance and Mon Repos. After they were attacked several times while at the Enterprise market, they stopped selling there.
Shiwpaul’s daughter, who wished not to be named, said that they had just exited from their vehicle when they men pounced on them and demanded cash. “We come out of the vehicle and daddy open the gate to drive in,” she explained, while noting that as customary her mother was waiting to lock the gate when the gunmen ran into the premises.
“They slap mommy and so but she manage to hide and I run in the yard till to the back and one of them run behind me and throw me on the ground and start box me up,” the traumatised woman said.
“Then I hear one of them telling he to lef’ me and they carry me and daddy together by the door….they search he pocket and so and they tell we to open the door and pass the money,” she added.
She further noted that she continuously told the men that her family didn’t have any money since they had just returned from the mandir but her appeals were to no avail.
Shiwpaul eventually handed over a bag containing money and the men fled.
The family has been robbed on six occasions while selling at the markets.
Shiwpaul’s son, Jeetendra Shiwpaul, expressed frustration at the constant attacks on his family.
He said about eight months ago he applied for a firearm licence but noted that his application has since been placed on hold.
