With the spate of recent murders in the country, President Irfaan Ali yesterday said he is awaiting a full report from police concerning execution-style killings that have occurred since the year commenced.
He noted that while he was out of the country, he was not updated in detail on the status of the killings. However, when asked by Stabroek News if he is concerned about the killings in the country at a time when there is a push for tourism, he responded in the positive.
“I am concerned about the criminal issue in the country not only the execution killing. I am concerned about every single issue”, he said.
There have been at least two execution-style kill-ings since the year started.
Last Saturday taxi driver, Delon Josiah, from the 007 Taxi Service in Camp-bellville, Georgetown, was murdered at his Persever-ance, East Bank Demerara home after gunmen barged in and shot him in his sleep.
According to the police report, Josiah was sleeping inside a bedroom, while his wife, Nicosc McDonald Josiah, was at the front door with a female friend when two armed men confronted them. They led Nicosc and her friend inside, searching for Delon. One of the men opened the bedroom door where Delon was and both opened fire on him.
When the police arrived, the body was still lying in a pool of blood. The scene was photographed and processed, and four .40 spent shells, four .9mm spent shells, four metal fragments, and three bullets were recovered. Several people were contacted and interviewed, and the area was canvassed for closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Days before, Anthony Charles, aka ‘Skiddle’, a 33-year-old labourer of Leopold Street, George-town, was gunned down execution style while on his way to purchase alcohol.
‘Skiddle’ was killed on D’Urban Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. His body was riddled with 12 bullets including to his neck and forehead. The motive for the killing is unclear but the police have since launched an investigation.
The police in a statement, disclosed that preliminary investigations have revealed that Charles was in company of another labourer, 43-year-old Dexter Lawrence, at the time of the shooting. They were walking towards a shop at the corner of D’Urban and Smyth streets.
While on their way, a silver-grey old-model Allion motorcar, bearing registration number, PVV 5906, approached the duo from behind and one of the occupants exited and opened fire on the two men. Lawrence ran in a westerly direction and escaped but Charles fell to the ground. Police have since ascertained that the registration number of the car is fake.
Lawrence told investigators that at the time, he and Charles were walking towards the shop and he turned to look back and saw a car and a male in a dark-coloured hoodie exit and walk up to Charles. The shooter then discharged several rounds at Charles. The gunman then quickly re-entered the car which drove and turned north into Smyth Street and disappeared. Lawrence suffered a bruise to his hand which he said was caused by a bullet. Charles was later found lying on his back in a pool of blood. Several 9mm spent shells, five warheads and a metal fragment were found at the scene.
No one has been charged in these two cases.
