Dethiel Chimezie, the perpetrator of last Thursday’s attack outside of State House remained hospitalised in a critical condition up to press time yesterday.
Stabroek News understands that since the incident, the 25-year-old Nigerian national has not regained consciousness. He is currently a patient in the Georgetown Public Hospital’s (GPH) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he is attached to a ventilator.
As such, the police have not been able to question him as yet.
Also still in hospital is the State House guard, Telon Perreira who bore the brunt of Chimezie’s attack.
Police had said the attack outside State House occurred around 7.30 am at the Carmichael Street entrance, during which Chimezie was shot and injured.
Before he was wounded, Chimezie demanded to see President Irfaan Ali, stabbed Perreira five times and seized a gun from another guard. He then engaged in a shootout with guards.
Chimezie was shot several times about his body and underwent emergency surgery. Perreira was stabbed five times, including to his neck and shoulder.
This newspaper was informed that Chimezie showed up at State House and confronted Perreira, who was among the ranks on duty at the guard hut. He reportedly said, “I want the President”.
Chimezie then went into a pouch, which he had in his possession, and whipped out a knife that he used to launch the attack on Perreira.
Information reaching this newspaper revealed that Perreira then held onto Chimezie’s hand and the knife and a female rank who was present tried to assist him.
This caused the Nigerian to turn his attention to the female rank and he disarmed her of her firearm. Chimezie then used the weapon and started to shoot indiscriminately. Other ranks who were in the area returned fire, injuring him.
Investigators recovered a 9mm pistol and seven matching spent shells at the scene.
The motive for the attack remains unknown and the police are seeking help from Interpol (the International Criminal Police Organization) on Chimezie’s background.
Over the weekend, this newspaper was told that police visited an Industry, East Coast Demerara address which Chimezie provided as being his home address to the cleaning establishment where he last worked.
However, investigators later learnt that Chimezie did not actually reside at the address he provided. Sources confirmed that two persons who were present at the time of the search were detained. They were questioned by the police and later released.
This newspaper was, however, told that investigators were eventually able to determine Chimezie’s current address. While details were not provided to this newspaper, sources also confirmed that a search was conducted at Chimezie’s residence. It is unclear whether anything of evidential value was found.
Reports are that Chimezie, who holds a Nigerian passport, arrived in Guyana back in 2020. He was initially employed with a private security firm and last worked as a cleaner attached to a city cleaning establishment.
The attack has raised several questions about the level of security provided at State House.