A 38-year-old electrical contractor narrowly escaped death yesterday after he was shot and robbed of $600,000 by two motorcycle bandits who trailed him from a bank before cornering him at his Enmore, East Coast Demerara (ECD) worksite.
Bisnauth Terry Chan also known as ‘Snatcher’, a father of two of Enmore Hope West, ECD sustained a single gunshot wound to his head. The bullet entered and exited resulting in a fractured skull.
Up to last evening, doctors at the Woodlands Hospital were making preparations to have him undergo emergency surgery. His condition is listed as stable.
Stabroek News understands that Chan, who is employed with R. Kissoon Contracting Service, had visited the Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited, Triumph, ECD branch to encash a cheque worth $800,000. Whilst there, he transferred $200,000 to his bank account and took possession of the remainder to renovate his home.
He subsequently left the bank on his motorcycle for his worksite at Enmore Public Road. Upon arrival, he was cornered by one of the two bandits, who shot him before relieving him of a bag containing the cash.
The incident occurred around 1pm.
At the hospital, a number of relatives gathered. His co-workers and employer Romesh Kissoon were also among those who flocked his bedside.
Chan related to Stabroek News that he reported for work as normal yesterday morning after which he asked Kissoon for some time to go to the bank.
“Ah just ask meh boss for a couple minutes that I want mek a spin at the bank and whilst going to the bank everything ok and thing. I had to wait because the line had like fifteen to twenty persons in front of me and I wait and just change the cheque, the cheque was $800,000, so I deposit two in meh account and I tell the guy (bank teller) give me the rest”, he explained.
He said upon completing his transaction, he ventured outside towards his motorcycle and back to work. “While coming out a …girl and me that went in the line same time walk out and I had a call so I just stop to make back the call and whilst making the call I ride off”, Chan added.
He recalled that while he was in the vicinity of Mon Repos-Good Hope he suspected he was being trailed by a PVV series motorcar.
“Whilst riding as I pass Mon Repos coming down pass the market that was like Good Hope ah see a Bluebird (car) PVV but I didn’t get to see the number plate good, that was driving at the same rate I was riding but never tried to pass but …they could have pass, right and while I slow up and thing the vehicle keep slowing up”, he recalled.
Despite this, Chan said he continued his journey and then observed a CG motorcycle proceeding at a fast rate towards him. The motorcycle, he said had no number plate.
“When ah reach by Lusignan side by the market deh, ah observe this bike but the bike was coming at a fast rate and I start accelerate and as I accelerate I lost them at a good distance but the car was still behind me and like (at) Melanie I see back the bike and the car, so I ride as fast as you could ride and when I watch back now reaching by my worksite the car was still there and the car pass slowly past the worksite, so I just park meh bike and tek out the helmet and come off and try fuh tek off the haversack and put in on the bench”, he further explained.
At this point, Chan recalled hearing a loud noise. “…I hear a loud noise and I know was a gunshot, after I hear the noise now I feel meh head it get numb, the blood start drain and I tell meh foreman that I get shoot in meh head and the guy come and pull off the bag and seh ‘loose the (expletive) bag’ and them ride off”, he said.
While all this was happening, the pillion rider remained seated on the motorcycle which was parked on the opposite side of the road.
Like squib
Chan was rushed to the hospital by a resident of the area and his cousin. The cousin, Avinash (only name given) also works at the said worksite.
“I was working upstairs at the building, the generator was working and I hear something sounding like squib so I seh man ‘Buns (another co-worker) dah ain’t sound nice check wah happen downstairs deh’, when I peep he tell meh bai Terry hold he head, like Terry get shot”, Avinash said.
He added, “when meh ask he back ‘Terry get shot? He she yea Terry get shot’, so me done know dah me cousin, so me run, jump pun the scaffold and jump down straight down…me run and scramble me cousin and run straight over to the road and a woman seh come leh we go down to the hospital one-time”
Avinash said when he looked around, he saw the two bandits on the motorcycle fleeing the scene. “I see the two fellas on the bike when they done hit the turn but the pace they was going at I couldn’t a recognise them”, he said.
Meanwhile, another worker said he spoke with Chan around 11.30am
yesterday before he left for the bank. “About 11.30 Chan seh he going out and after 1 he come back, suh when he come back we did just come off lunch and me went ripping some (wood) with the chainsaw and same time he come in suh me seh ‘yuh come back? and same time a man just run in, point the gun to he and just shoot he and tek off the bag”, the man said.
He related that he was close by and the gunman also pointed the gun to him. “Suh me gah the chainsaw in meh hand and me turn fuh just….suh …the man (bandit) seh ‘yuh don’t turn’ and he point the gun to me, suh me just switch off the chainsaw”, the man added.
Too constantly
Chan’s brother who wished not to be named vented his anger at the increased number of attacks where persons are robbed after making large withdrawals mainly at the Republic Bank outlets. “This thing ah happen at Republic bank too constantly, why when people ah go to the Blue machine yuh nah hear no robbery ah happen, only when they go inside the bank?”, he questioned.
“Something gah fuh be happening, either something within the bank itself, some investigation gah fuh do thoroughly with them because me can’t see when you just draw money deh and come out this bank within minutes people deh follow you …”, the man said.
He said that these matters need to be investigated. “This thing gah fuh be investigate and investigate properly”, he said.
Yesterday’s incident is the second to occur in less than a week with a customer using that branch.
Last Friday, Cove and John fisherman Eddy Brandon was robbed of $7m cash just after visiting the said bank at Triumph.
Brandon had related to this newspaper that he was convinced that the robbery was aided by bank employee.
However, the bank through its Marketing and Communications Manager, Michelle Johnson had distanced itself from the claim that a bank employee was complicit in the robbery of Brandon while stressing that it has an obligation to ensure that all those who utilize its services do so in a safe and secure environment.
“A review was conducted and no evidence was found that supports the allegation,” Johnson had said.
Up to press time, no arrest had been made. The police retrieved a spent shell at the scene.
