Former Kaieteur News employee tells child-mother he won stolen $millions from Superbet

Last Updated on Tuesday, 11 October 2022, 17:17 by Denis Chabrol

Police said a former employee of Kaieteur News newspaper, who was arrested in connection with a more than GY$6 million armed robbery at his former workplace, gave his child-mother part of the loot and told her that it was a Superbet winning.

Investigators said they were able to corroborate the story with the woman, Lorilee Garraway, who subsequently handed over GY$3.5 million to police.

After intensive questioning of the suspects, police said former Kaieteur News Research Officer Ryan Wharton confessed that he was the mastermind behind the early Monday morning robbery along with four other persons including 35-year old Joshua Junor, a security guard at Kaieteur News.

Those arrested so far are 36-year old Harry Songster, who is a taxi driver of Hyde Park, Timehri;  Mr Wharton, 23-year old Mr Lemuel Grant, Mr Collis Heywood and 25-year old Ivor Belingie also known as ‘Wildlife’, who is unemployed and lives at Back Circle, East Ruimveldt and 35-year old  Mr Junor of Lot 223 Middle Road La Penitence. Police are yet to arrest Junor.

Police said they recovered Kaieteur News publisher Glen Lall’s .32 Taurus pistol, 209 live .32 rounds of ammunition, 71 live 9mm ammunition, five 9mm magazines, two .32 magazines, one Glock pistol case, one holster and three hand grips in a bag from Collis Heywood after Mr Wharton took investigators to his residence.

Songster handed over GY$2,667,900 and US$685 after he was arrested at his home and admitted what Mr Wharton said about him, police further alleged.

Police said Songster took investigators to a trench at Cane View Avenue, South Ruimveldt Gardens where the safe was recovered.

Mr Grant, who is a clerk at the Georgetown Public Hospital’s Stores Department and lives at Russell Street Charlestown, told police that his mother, Sharon Grant, owns the gold coloured Spacio car, PPP 5379. He said Mr Wharton borrowed the car from him on October 9 and returned it on October 10. Police said they have seized and lodged the car.

Police said Mr Wharton confessed to changing the number plate to HC 5152 and driving the car to Kaieteur News.

Also, according to police, Mr Belingie held Mr Junor at gunpoint, as “they had planned”, while Mr Wharton and Mr Sangster went up to the Accounts Department where he knew the safe was located. “They pushed open the Accounts office door, and broke off a padlock on a desk drawer. Wharton along with Harry then lifted out the safe which was under a desk and put it in the back seat of Grant’s car,” the Guyana Police Force said in a statement.

The three men, according to police, went to Mr Wharton’s home where they opened the safe with a grind handle, hammer, and a chisel in an office under the house, and removed money, the handgun, ammunition, one holster, magazines, and firearm hand grips, from the safe.

Police said the men then divided the money into four, with Belingie collecting Joshua’s share after which he took off his clothes, hat, and boots. Police were also informed that the others removed their clothes and then Mr Wharton burnt all – and the vehicle’s fake number plate – in front of his house.