The Police were yesterday questioning manslaughter convict Rondell Bacchus over the chilling murder of Ricardo Fagundes on March 21 even as questions were being raised as to how the suspect was out of prison after being jailed in 2019.
Police yesterday issued a wanted bulletin for Bacchus over the gunning down of gold dealer and Kitty resident, Fagundes and just about an hour later he surrendered to police at the Eve Leary, Kingston headquarters of the Crimi-nal Investigation Depart-ment. He was accompanied by his attorney Damien Da Silva.
Da Silva yesterday told Stabroek News that his client contacted him after becoming aware of the wanted bulletin and preparations were made for him to turn himself in.
According to the lawyer, his client was subjected to a gunshot residue test and was taken to his home where a search was conducted.
Bacchus, upon turning himself into the police, denied any knowledge and involvement in the crime. Da Silva in a brief statement said that his client at the time in question, was at the home of a relative and nowhere close to the scene of the crime.
Further his attorney told this newspaper that investigators made no effort to contact or find Bacchus prior to issuing the wanted bulletin.
On May 22, 2019, Bacchus was sentenced to 16 years, 8 months behind bars, after pleading to the lesser offence of man-slaughter.
While he denied the capital charge on which he was originally indicted, Bacchus admitted guilt on the lesser count, accepting that on July 24, 2008, he unlawfully shot and killed scrap iron dealer Akbar Alli whom he had robbed of more than $2 million.
Particulars of the armed robbery charge on which Bacchus was separately indicted and also pleaded guilty, stated that on the same day, being armed with a gun, he robbed Ali and his wife, Bibi Hydar Alli, of $2,150,000.
Eleven years were deducted from the sentence for the period of incarceration which meant Bacchus would have still have been required to serve five years. A statement from the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) last night said that Bacchus was discharged from prison on October 3rd 2019. His attorney told this newspaper that his client was released on parole and for good behaviour in October 2019, months after the sentencing. The GPS statement last evening made no mention of parole and good behaviour. The early release of a man convicted of this type of crime just months after the sentence will raise concerns in the public particularly following his detention yesterday. The public is never given notice of early release or parole in these cases.
Meanwhile, police said the footage retrieved from outside Palm Court is being developed for evidential purposes and the family of Fagundes were able to view the footage, when investigators provided an update to the family.
Fagundes, a family friend of convicted drug dealer Roger Khan, was gunned down outside of the Palm Court bar on Main Street, Georgetown, on April 21. He was shot approximately 20 times.
According to the police, Fagundes was having drinks with a colleague in Palm Court when he received a call on his cellphone.
Shortly after exiting Palm Court, police said several loud explosions were heard. Fagundes was later found lying in a pool of blood on the road. His body bore several gunshot wounds.
In the surveillance footage seen by Stabroek News, Fagundes was seen walking towards a black vehicle, which was parked in front of Palm Court.
As he approached the vehicle, two gunmen emerged from a white car parked on the eastern carriageway of Main Street, ran towards him and opened fire. After several shots, Fagundes collapsed. However, the gunmen still continued to shoot at him, running to the front of the vehicle where Fagundes lay.
Shortly after, one of the gunmen rushed back to the getaway car. His accomplice, however, ran towards Fagundes, stood over him and discharged more rounds before he re-entered the waiting motorcar. The circumstances reflect that there was a ‘hit’ put out on Fagundes.
The car sped away along Main Street and hours later a car matching the description was found burnt in Swan Village, Soesdyke/Linden Highway. Police are still to confirm whether it was indeed the getaway car.
Sources told Stabroek News that the police recovered 30 spent shell casings at the scene. Sixteen were of the type used in an AK-47 rifle while the other fourteen were from a 9mm pistol.
In 2017 Fagundes was arrested and questioned by police in relation to the over $900 million fraud charge in relation to a local bank for which his acquaintance, miner Saddiqi Rasul was charged. Rasul, the owner of SSS Minerals Trading, was charged on April 3 with six counts of fraud.
Khan, two Mondays at the funeral service, said that he was the real target of the recent `hit’ and he called on President Irfaan Ali to ensure the investigation is “impartial” as he demanded justice.
“This was not an attack on Ricardo. Today is especially difficult for me… It’s difficult… because he died in my place. Make no mistake about it. Ricardo died in my place. Every single one of those bullets was meant for me. All twenty something of those bullets were meant for me. I am standing here speaking to you from the grave,” Khan said.
Khan, who spoke at the GMR&SC at Thomas Lands, Georgetown, did not give a motive for why he may have been targeted.
“He (Fagundes) lived in my home before I went into prison….He picked me up from Eve Leary, when I was released when I came home and he has never left my side. The night when he died, it was by my side. So this is an attack on my home,” Khan said while adding, “whoever did this, didn’t kill an associate, didn’t kill a friend, they came into my home and murdered my son. This is an attack on my home and on my family”.
According to Khan, the family will not rest until they receive justice.
“…The hearts of men bleed for justice. It is a natural, God-given, inalienable thing that God gives man, to try for justice and this act here, this injustice, if the police do not investigate this crime and follow the evidence rather than follow the money or any kind of corrupt motive, the hearts of men will become enraged,” Khan stated.
“This assassination has a particular signature to it, especially in light of the police posture over the past week. Not a single raid, not a single arrest, not a single witness,” he added.
Against this background, Khan appealed to President Ali for a “clean and impartial” investigation. “Mr President, we are asking you, I am asking you on behalf of the family of Ricardo, to give this investigation the very same attention that you gave the Henry boys. Ricardo’s life is no less important than any other life in Guyana. We are asking for the political will, we are asking for the resources, that this investigation be handled by impartial investigators,” he pleaded.
