Police Force says working on enhancing CCTV footage of Fagundes killing

Weeks after the execution of Ricardo Fagundes known as “paper shorts or paper” the Guyana Police Force is belatedly saying they Police are reviewing CCTV footage of Fagundes’ killing and that footage is being enhanced for evidential purposes.

The police in its report said it was responding to what it called erroneous reports carried in certain sections of the media. The force said the report was carried without confirmation being sought from the Police Force, to the effect that the Government-installed CCTV cameras in a section of Georgetown were not functioning at the time of the murder of Ricardo Fagundes.

The force said it was emphatically stating that investigators of the Major Crimes Unit have retrieved footage from one of the cameras mounted in the vicinity of the crime scene and this is being enhanced for evidential purposes. Further, the specific footage has been seen by relatives of Ricardo Fagundes during an update given to them by the police.

Meanwhile, resulting from investigations so far into Fangundes’ killing, a Wanted Bulletin was issued earlier today for Rondell Bacchus, aka ‘Killa’. Rondell Bacchus later surrendered to the Police at CID headquarters in Georgetown for questioning.

Chip’s vendor charged with pensioner’s murder

Mark Henry, the brother of Joel Henry who was murdered along with his cousin Isiah was today arraigned in court on a murder charge. The bodies of Joel and Isiah were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice.

 

Henry was charged with the murder of Sooroojdeo Deochand which occurred on March 30th at Number 3 Village West Coast Berbice. When the matter was called this morning in Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, Henry was not required to plea to the indictable offence and remanded to prison until April, 28th. He was represented by attorney at law Nigel Hughes.

 

Henry was quickly whisked away from the court to prison by members of the major crimes unit of the Guyana Police Force.

 

Deochand’s body was found in his Number 3 Village, West Coast Berbice home with multiple chop wounds. The 68-year-old pensioner was pronounced dead on arrival at the Fort Wellington Hospital.

Update: Killa turns self into police

Rondell Bacchus called Killa who is wanted for questioning in relation to the murder of city businessman and cyclist Ricardo Fagundes has turned himself into the police. Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Police Force, Stan Gouveia said Bacchus surrendered to the police and is currently at the Criminal Investigation Department.

Meanwhile, Director of Communication of the Guyana Police Force could not provide any information on the circumstances of Bacchus’ early release from Prison but said he was released from prison and is out. He further said the acting director of prison can offer further details as to when he was released.

 

Man sentenced for killing scrap metal dealer now wanted for murder of Fagundes

Weeks after the murder of city business and cyclist Ricardo Fagundes, the Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for a suspect, Rondell Bacchus called Killa. Fagundes was killed on March 21.

The police is urging anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of Bacchus to contact the nearest police station or emergency 911.

Fagundes was gunned down in a hail of bullets outside of the popular Palm Court Restaurant and Bar on Main Street.

Bacchus in 2019 was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison for manslaughter in the death of scrap metal dealer Akbar Alli. Alli was killed in 2008.

It is unclear as to the circumstances surrounding Bacchus’ release from Prison less than three years after he was sentenced. However, last year government released 65 prisoners, but not details were provided to the public. When this newscast attempted to get information from prison authorities on those released, we were told that moving forward not details will be provided on those released for fear of their safety being compromised.

Improvised weapons and suspected marijuana among items confiscated at Lusignan Prison

Inmates continue find ways of getting their hands on prohibited items in the prison system. Today, the Guyana Police Force in a statement said a joint exercise by the police and prison authorities unearthed a number of contraband items at the Lusignan Prison.

Among the items confiscated were leaves, stems and seeds suspected to be marijuana, 1 cellular phone, 3 cellular phone charges, six bottles of fermented wine, improvised weapons and cigarettes and lighters.

The search according to the police occurred between 6 and 8 am today. The items according to the police have been lodged at the Vigilance Police Station.

These joints operations are conducted at various prison facilities regularly and the items mentioned are usual among the list which are found and confiscated.

US State Department Reports mentions breaches committed by government.

The US State Department on Human Rights said Mohammed Irfaan Ali was installed as Guyana’s President. The report stated that PPP/C won by a margin of 15,000 votes against the APNU+AFC coalition, announced by the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) after a recount tainted by numerous irregularities.

The report separately said Mohamed Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C was installed as president on August 2. The US State Department in its March 31, 2021 Human Rights Report commented on several breaches committed by the current People’s Progressive Party (PPP) in the legal sector and civil rights of citizens.

The report also offered an opinion on the Guyana March 2, 2020 General and regional Elections. The report referenced several rounds of litigation initiated by the coalition government and opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) delayed the elections until March 2, 2020.

The APNU+AFC coalition’s refusal to accept the election result that showed their loss created a five-month postelections impasse, which included a national recount, refusal to accept the results of the recount, and litigation in the Caribbean Court of Justice, the country’s court of final instance.

Man busted with US $40,000 worth of marijuana

A 64-year-old Bagotville West Bank Demerara man is in custody on suspicion of Narcotics Trafficking. The man, Clarence Wrights was held by ranks of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) with more than 9 pounds of compressed marijuana. The marijuana according to CANU had a street value of US $40,000.

CANU in a press statement said Wrights was intercepted in the vicinity of the Stabroek Market along Hadfield and Water Streets not far from the Old GNCB Bank. According to CANU the drugs were found in a suitcase containing 9 parcels of compressed suspected Cannabis (weight: 4.508 kilograms).

The man was also found with 2 small Ziploc parcels of suspected cannabis in his pants pocket that carried a weight 12 grams. A quantity of cash was also found in his possession.

CANU said its Officers intercepted the suspect when he entered the city from the West Bank of Demerara by way of the Stabroek Market Stelling in Georgetown.

He was seen pulling a suitcase which when searched the suspected narcotics were uncovered.