-family stage candlelight vigil
By Shuntel Glasgow
Family and friends of Joshua David, who was abducted last Thursday, held a candlelight vigil last evening on Main Street, Georgetown.
A group of about 70 persons gathered in front of the New Thriving Restaurant and issued a call for his safe return, as Thursday marked one week since he was abducted while purchasing food.
Two suspects have since turned themselves in to the police in relation to his abduction.
The vigil was not limited to adults but also saw children with placards since relatives said that David loved being among children. The vigil was held to pray for David’s safe return and to express the family’s faith and hope that he might be alive.
Amanda Connell, a relative of David, told reporters that it has been one week since he was abducted on Main Street. She said the family is yet to receive any positive news about his whereabouts.
Connell commended the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and media outlets for their efforts since David was abducted. The GPF has been communicating with the family daily to reassure them of their efforts to locate him and the family is hopeful that David might be alive.
“The police are doing a great job; the news reporters are doing a great job, but I think the President need to do something better; justice for Joshua David. It hurt that we have to come back on the same spot that he get kidnap.”
David would communicate with his family whenever he is away from home to assure them of his safety, but since the incident, the family has not received any call from the missing man. A while ago, David told his family that he noticed persons were following him but no one took it seriously.
The relative also dismissed reports that David’s character might be questionable, but would not comment on whether he was involved in conflict with anyone recently. She added that he loved being around children and was described as helpful.
David’s last engagement with Connell concerned plans to buy a caravan to sell food.
Persons assembled with placards and staged a silent protest in front the restaurant as police ranks monitored the vigil.
Some of their placards read: “Return our love one, Joshua David”/ “God please give us back our love one”/ “Justice for Joshua David”/“A real youth is somewhere out there and the family is not getting justice”/“God don’t sleep”/“Justice for Bricks”.
As the investigation continued, a police search team on Tuesday, ventured into the Annandale backlands, on the East Coast of Demerara, but came up empty-handed.
Meanwhile, a wanted bulletin was issued for a sixth suspect, identified as Damion Barlow of Lot 47 Norton Street, Georgetown.
The GPF is urging anyone with information about the whereabouts of Barlow to contact the police. Given the proliferation of CCTV cameras in the city, it is unclear why there is no footage of the abduction.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News that two of the five suspects turned themselves in to the police on Monday.
Osafo Peters of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown, turned himself in accompanied by a lawyer, and also Alpha Poole of Lot 127 D’Aguiar Park, Georgetown. The four suspects who remain at large are: Aaron Alleyne, whose last known address is West Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Wayne Barker, whose last address was Lot ‘G’ Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetown, Dwayne Griffith, formerly of Lot 68 William Street, Kitty, Georgetown and Barlow.
The abduction of David was captured on camera by someone in a vehicle who then forwarded the video to reporters on Monday. In the video, five men could be seen pushing David across Main Street as he attempted to fight them off.
Officers from Regional Divisions 4A and 4C began searching in the Buxton backlands, East Coast Demerara, as part of their investigation. Several ranks ventured into the Buxton backlands early Sunday morning with sniffer dogs in search of the missing man. The team spent hours combing the area but without success.
