Gunmen attack Gay Park family, victim hospitalized

Jun 25, 2009 News

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GAYPARK, GREATER NEW AMSTERDAM – A Gay Park family, on the outskirts of New Amsterdam, was robbed at gunpoint by four masked men of an undisclosed sum of money and jewellery.
Minutes after the incident police detained two men from the New Amsterdam area to assist with the investigation but none of the loot was retrieved.
One of the victims, 35-year-old Mahonie Persaud, is hospitalized after she was severely chopped and 12 pellets are said to be lodged in her legs. Her condition is listed as serious but stable.
Yesterday, family members said that the tragedy has stunned them and other persons in the community.
About 19:00 hours on Tuesday, a neighbour reacting to a sound, peeped through her window and saw a lone gunman standing on the road continuously firing a weapon in the direction of the home of the victims. “Three more walk in the yard. They had a broad axe knocking as they walk in (the yard). They were saying they want the money and gold.”
Mahonie Persaud, her one-year-old toddler, Shania, and nephew 13-year-old Andy Seetal, reside in the lower flat of the building.
The floor above houses other relatives— 42-year-old Gaitree Samaroo and her two children – 25-year-old Radha Samaroo, and 12-year-old Junior. At the time of the incident Gaitree Samaroo was not at home.
Andy Seetal was in the hammock on the patio with Shania. When Andy grasped what was taking place, he hoisted the baby and ran indoors.
Mahonie Persaud was in the kitchen preparing a meal. A family member said, “The front door was open and they walk through the door. They start beat she (Mahonie) with the broad axe, then chop she here (upper arm). She just screaming all the time they beating she and then they (bandits) went into the house and afterward I hear Radha screaming.”
Radha Samaroo was still too traumatised to speak with the Kaieteur News Berbice Reporter. She was standing at the side of the home when the men appeared and relieved her of a pair of gold bangles and chain worth $55,000.
Another relative said, “They went into the house, tumble up all two rooms. When Mahonie run, they run behind she and apparently the money was in the front room. They just keep beating she and she hand over the money and jewellery. I ain’t sure how much money.”
Junior was in the lower flat, he saw the men as they entered the yard and scampered off. “I run and hide in the room when I see them man coming to me. They had them toque thing covering them face.”
The robbers did not go to the upper floor and the entire ordeal lasted at least 15 minutes. The bandits escaped on foot into the Providence sugarcane field about 300 yards away.
After the thieves fled the scene, neighbours and family members rushed the injured Mahonie Persaud to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she was admitted.
“She get chop several parts of she body. They find six pellets in one foot and six in the other. There was a lot of shooting so you couldn’t tell when she get shoot. Is till after.”
Shania’s gold bangles and Andy’s chain were in a jewel box, which was also snatched by the robbers who took two mobile telephones. The family members claimed that Mahonie Persaud was robbed of eight bangles, an anklet, rings, earrings and chains, all made gold.
Another person on the scene added, “You see, they (bandits) had a shootout to scare the neighbours. That house, (pointing to a green building about 300 yards diagonally away) get damaged with the bullets, the window pane get shoot but nobody get injured there.”
The residents are all troubled over the incident. “It’s the first time such a disaster like this happen here in Gay Park.”
The Central Police Station in New Amsterdam is situated approximately two miles from Gay Park. Some residents handed demerits to the police ranks. “Police come about 15 minutes after them bandits gone. They put on the siren since in Stanleytown coming through to tell the bandits them ah come. So, by the time they (police ranks) reach the men (bandits) done gone.”
An elderly woman added, “God gwine catch them wherever they run! Wherever they run, anywhere they run, God gwine find them!”
An official of Division ‘B’ of the Guyana Police Force stated that the incident took place about 18:50 hours when four bandits — three armed with cutlasses and one with a shotgun entered the victims’ yard via the gate.
Police reports further indicate that Mahonie Persaud was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Two of the bandits entered the home and confronted Mahonie Persaud in the kitchen and demanded cash and jewellery. She was beaten and in the process sustained a wound on the upper left arm.
A trail of blood was visible in the kitchen. Mahonie Persaud managed to run out of the kitchen and into the yard where she stumbled on the other two, one of who was carrying the gun, the police stated. They added that the gunman discharged the weapon hitting her on the upper thighs and she fell to the ground. The men continued beating her with the cutlasses and subsequently ransacked the two bedrooms and found the jewellery in the jewel box, which was in the wardrobe. Mahonie Persaud was at the time wearing eight gold bangles and three gold rings which the robbers took possession of before heading east into the Providence cane field. No mention of money being stolen was made to police, they said.
The report was made to the Central Police Station at 18:55 hours and ranks arrived on the scene 13 minutes later.
(Melissa Johnson)

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