Police are reviewing surveillance footage as they continue to investigate the murder of 23-year-old SabuTaro Singh on Regent Street, Georgetown on Wednesday night.
Stabroek News was reliably informed that there are several surveillance cameras around the area where the incident occurred and investigators are in the process of reviewing footage.
So far, the police have been able to ascertain that the suspect escaped in a white Toyota Premio.
No arrest has been made as yet and the motive for Singh’s murder remains unknown. “It is too premature to proffer a motive for the murder,” a source told this newspaper yesterday.
Singh, who is one of the accused in the $400 million gold theft case was fatally wounded while he was vending on the pavement along Regent Street, in front of Pressy’s building.
The police yesterday said investigations revealed that Singh was in the company of two men when his attacker approached him and dealt him a stab in his neck.
Singh immediately fell to the ground. The police said the suspect fled the scene with the knife in his hand.
In October this year, Singh was placed before the courts in connection with the gold theft from a Mahaica, East Coast Demerara dealer.
At the scene, Singh’s sister, who wished not to be named told this newspaper that her brother’s alleged involvement in the gold heist is the motive behind his death. She explained that his life has been under threat for some time now.
The sister said that on one occasion, he and a friend were attacked and the friend was stabbed. She recalled that just over a month ago, he was shot in his buttocks.
Singh and Bisram Paul called ‘Marlon’, 44, a taxi driver of Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo were charged jointly with stealing 1,000 ounces of raw gold from Bibi Acklema Goberdhan.
According to the police, Satrohan Seegobin and his father, contractor Bhaloonauth Seegobin found the gold while conducting repairs on the home of Goberdhan, who they only identified as a businesswoman who has been a gold dealer for a number of years. She had not been named and no charge was brought against her even though she was in clear contravention of the law.
The police said during the period of December 2021 to January 2022, the woman had contracted the two suspects to conduct repairs on her home. During the work, they found the gold and divided it among themselves.
Police had said Goberdhan accumulated the gold at her Mahaica property over the years.
The Seegobins of Farm, East Bank Demerara (EBD) were the first to be charged in relation to the crime.
A number of other suspects were arrested and questioned as part of the probe. They include two subordinate officers from Berbice who were subsequently placed on open arrest.
Singh was among three suspects who the police had issued wanted bulletins for in relation to the crime. However, while Andray Duncan surrendered, Damien Brummell was never apprehended.
Prior to this, three suspects: Deo Kissoon called ‘Lolly’, 23 of Herstelling Sea Dam, East Bank Demerara (EBD); Daniel Ethon, 24, of Lot 30 ‘B’ Elijah, Corentyne, Berbice and a 17-year-old of Farm Squatting Area, EBD, were also charged jointly in relation to the crime.
Investigators recovered 98 ounces of raw gold and $6.6 million in cash and seized eight vehicles along with other articles suspected to have been bought with proceeds from the crime.
It remains unclear whether Goberdhan is being investigated although she could potentially face charges as well as the police said she had accumulated the raw gold and had concealed it at a location within her home over the years.
The Gold Board Act makes it illegal for persons who are not producers to have raw gold in their possession and stipulates that it must be sold to the Board or to any agent authorized in writing by the Board.
Sources say the gold in question belonged to a city gold dealer and some of the stolen gold had actually been resold to him.
