Georgetown residents jailed for violent robbery at Charity, Essequibo Coast

Last Updated on Tuesday, 4 January 2022, 21:41 by Denis Chabrol

Nigel Bentick                        Okmie Barclay

Two youths from Georgetown  on Tuesday pleaded guilty to robbing a businessman and his wife at their shop at Charity waterfront, Essequibo Coast, the Guyana Police Force said.

Magistrate Esther Sam sentenced 25-year old Nigel Bentick of South Ruimveldt and 21-year old Isaiah Okmie Barclay called Black Boy  of D’urban (Joseph Pollydore) Street, Lodge to 30 months imprisonment.

Police had previously said that on January 1, 2022, the duo had robbed Mohammed Khan and his wife of $4.8 million and more than $1 million worth of Digicel and GTT phone cards. Police had said that the cash and cards had been recovered after police and residents had cordoned off the backlands between Dartmouth and New Road.

The businessman, who is 55 years old, had told police that at about 11 o’clock Saturday morning he was about to open his business place when the two suspects, who were armed with a cutlass and knife, pushed the door and entered.

After the businessman freed himself, having been tied up, he chased and chopped one of the bandits and then police and community police cordoned off the backlands between Dartmouth and New Road.

The businessman, who was chopped in his head by the other bandit, was rushed to the Charity Hospital from where he was transferred to the Suddie Hospital where he was hospitalised in a stable condition, police had said.

He further recalled that the one with the knife held him up and placed the knife to his throat while the other suspect attacked the victim’s 57-year-old wife and covered her mouth after which they taped both of their hands and feet with duct tape. He said the men searched the premises and collected the mentioned items and began to make good their escape.