Businessman’s killer could be charged soon

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

Investigators believe that one of four persons under arrest is a key suspect in the gunning down of a West Coast Demerara businessman, amid growing concerns in the Muslim community that the crime situation is out of control.

Police Commissioner, Leroy Brumell said a cellular phone was found in possession of one of the suspects. ‘I can go a little further to say that one of the phones missing was there was discovered on somebody. We have arrested that person and I’m sure that we’ll get somewhere with that,” he told a news conference at the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Also held is the driver of a car who crime sleuths believed was used by the bandits after killing 27-year old Zulfikar “Vicky” Namdar on the night of September 11 in his shop at 76 Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara. The car has been also impounded.

The Police Commissioner said someone, who had previously threatened Namdar, was also arrested, leading investigators to work on the theory that it was a “hit”. “It appears to be to us a hit because the information that we gather is that the men came in firing. The deceased was shot early,” he said.

The gunmen grabbed a bag from his battered mother containing important documents and at least GUY$1 million in cash.

An autopsy has revealed that a single bullet entered Namdar’s throat and severely damaged a number of organs.

Namdar’s killing has sent shockwaves throughout the Muslim community, first prompting the President of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG), Fazil Ferouz to express concern about the escalating crime rate and urge that the police do more to arrest the situation.

His concern was Thursday echoed by the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) that called on all stakeholders including government, opposition and human rights organisations to “unequivocally reject the recent assault on citizens by criminals.” The MYO believes that the spate of crime is orchestrated and resembles the 2002-2006 period in which gangs had robbed, killed and kidnapped hundreds of persons.

“We note that the recent upsurge in criminality bears a sinister likeness in the modus operandi of the 2002/2003 crime wave where efforts were made to destabilize our country. Guyana belongs to all of us; these criminals share a violent, hate-fuelled desire for conflict and war, and we should not allow them to tear our country apart,” states the MYO.

While the Police Commissioner said there was no evidence of gangs, he said efforts were being made to beef up intelligence.

Home Affairs Minister said efforts would be made to improve intelligence-gathering by  phone-tapping and increased payments to informants.