Two persons were yesterday remanded to prison over the murder last month of Bartica businessman, Mohamed Zaheer Sheriff, at Arimu Backdam in Region Seven.
Teddy Thomas, a 44-year-old taxi driver of Itaballi Landing, and Paul James Derrick, a 20-year-old miner of Lot 20 Onderneeming Sandpit, Essequibo Coast, appeared at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate, Teriq Mohamed where the charges were read to them.
Thomas was charged with murder in the course of furthering a robbery, while Derrick was charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Thomas and Derrick were not required to plead to the indictable charge and were remanded to prison. The matter was set to continue on May 15.
On April 13, the police had issued wanted bulletins for two men namely, Romain Henry, 19, whose last known address was Best Road, West Coast Demerara, and is also being sought in connection with a third murder, and Kellon Fredericks, 21, whose last known addresses are Onderneeming Sand Pit, Essequibo Coast and Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. The two are being sought over the murders of Zaheer Mohammed Sheriff, and Donovan Washington. The two were murdered on March 3.
Following the murders, Travis Fredericks, a 32-year-old miner and Fernando Fredericks a 28-year-old miner both of 287 Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, were charged separately at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Teriq Mohamed on April 12 with being accessories after the fact of murder. They were not required to plead and were remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned to April 24 for disclosure.
On March 03, Sheriff, a 50-year-old gold miner from Byderabo Road, Bartica, and Washington, a 26-year-old porter of Lot 11 Seventh Avenue, Bartica, were shot dead at Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River.
According to the police, two masked men on a red all-terrain vehicle (ATV), carted off 102 ounces of raw gold valued at $37 million along with two licensed firearms (a .32 pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun) belonging to Sheriff.
Sheriff’s body had circular wounds to the right side of his upper chest, upper right thigh, upper right arm and left upper back, while Washington had circular wounds to his lower abdomen, left chest, left shoulder, left hand, left elbow, four to the right thigh, two to the left thigh and one in his back.
The scene was processed and one .32 magazine with eight live matching rounds, seven 9mm spent shells and three .32 spent shells were found.
Meanwhile, Henry is also being sought over the murder of Shawn Albert, 39, on August 30, 2021.
Albert was shot in his head at around 18.43 hours at Onderneeming Sandpit, Region Two. The father of one hailed from Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara. He was a driver/salesman attached to Lin’s Bakery located in South Road, Georgetown. On the day in question he was selling pastries in the village along with salesman, Decklon Lee, when they were attacked by two masked men. As soon as they entered their minibus, GWW 1783, the masked men who were armed with a gun, stopped them and demanded cash. It is reported that Albert put up a fight with the armed bandits.
One of the bandits opened fire as Albert was attempting to drive away, causing him to lose control and crash into a nearby fence. The men fled with $70,000. Residents upon hearing the noise immediately rushed to the scene where they found Albert lying motionless.
The police were immediately summoned and Albert was taken to the Suddie Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Lee, the other salesman, was not injured during the robbery. Police recovered three spent shells at the scene.
