Two bandits on Friday morning invaded the home of a Tain Settlement pensioner and robbed him of a quantity of cash, his licensed shotgun and ammunition.
The police have launched an investigation but no arrest had been made up to yesterday afternoon.
William Venkatasammi, 73, of Lot 8 Co-op Scheme, Tain Settlement, Corentyne, yesterday explained that around 8 am on Friday, he heard someone calling out to him. He and his maid were the only persons at his home at the time.
After venturing downstairs, Venkatasammi said, a man, who had a cutlass in his hand, began requesting to do work for him.
He said after the man pleaded with him, he decided to have him trim some of the plants in his yard for $1,500.
According to Venkatasammi, after he opened his gate he then felt something placed at his neck and someone ordered him not to move, while the man who was requesting work then rushed over to his maid.
He said the bandits did not “rough him up” after realising that he was sickly but, rather, they helped him up the stairs. The bandits then tied his and his maid’s hands behind their backs. After the maid began to beg the men not to kill her, she was dealt several lashes to her head.
The bandits demanded cash and jewellery from the pensioner, who said he told them that he did not have any valuables. The bandits then ransacked the upper flat, where they then found his licensed shotgun with cartridges and a bag of tools which they also stole.
The men also carted off $200,000 in cash, US$300 and TT $100, a laptop and a cellphone belonging to Venkatasammi and a cellphone and several pieces of jewellery that the maid had been wearing.
According to the pensioner, during the ordeal he started to feel a pain in his chest. He has a heart condition. To his surprise, the bandits provided him with his tablets after he requested them. The bandits also then cut the pensioner’s hand loose in order for him to properly take his medication.
Meanwhile, Venkatasammi also lashed out at several sections of the media yesterday after they reported that he was badly beaten, scaring relatives abroad as he claimed that he had not spoken to any reporter on Friday nor did he give permission for anyone to take pictures of his house.
