The police have not yet been able to make an arrest in the murder of Brazilian dredge owner Fredson Da Conceicao which occurred more than two weeks ago and it is believed that the perpetrators have fled to neighbouring Brazil.
This disclosure was made yesterday by Commander of Region 9, Keithon King who told Stabroek News that several checks were made for persons who were sighted in the area where the incident occurred but no one was found.
King noted that investigators believe that the suspects might have crossed the border and escaped to Brazil following the incident.
Da Conceicao, also known as ‘Zezao’, 58, was shot and killed after a group of armed bandits invaded his camp and attempted to rob him.
The incident had taken place at a mining camp in the Marudi mining area, in South Rupununi, Region Nine on April 24th.
A suspected bandit was also killed during an exchange of gunfire. He was later identified as Odair Jose Silva Dos Reis.
King told Stabroek News that Reis was wanted by the police for the 2017 murder of Antonio Da Silva, a Brazilian dredge owner who was also shot and killed when bandits invaded his camp at Akaiwanna, Cuyuni.
King had previously told this newspaper that the April 24th attack was carried out by at least four to six bandits, all of whom are Brazilians, around 6.30 pm at the Toucan Mountain in the Marudi mining area.
Persons, who did not wish to be named had told Stabroek News that Da Conceicao and his employees were resting when gunshots suddenly erupted in their mining camp, scattering the workers who ran for cover in the nearby forest and leaving Da Conceicao.
“They were firing wild, wild,” a witness recalled, before adding that the six armed bandits had no particular target at that time. “The workers were all there but as soon as they heard gunshots, they ran and left the boss man to battle with the robbers,” he had noted.
During the shootout, Da Conceicao reportedly drew his pistol and returned fire. He wounded one of the bandits before falling to the ground as a result of the wounds he himself sustained in the exchange.
According to the witness, Da Conceicao was lying on the ground near his camp when Reis attempted to take something off of his body.
Da Conceicao then shot Reis in his head instantly killing him.
Da Conceicao subsequently succumbed to his wounds while the other bandits escaped with an undisclosed amount of gold in the direction of Parabara, a nearby village in the forest.
