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Spent shells ‘link’ Kitty bar, ‘Ziah’ killings
A spent shell from a 9mm pistol, which was recovered at the scene of the shooting of Nicholas Hoyte called ‘Ziah’ in Alberttown has matched another found at the Safraz Bar in Kitty.
This was revealed to Kaieteur News by a reliable source at the police Criminal Investigations Department.
The match has caused investigators to now turn their attention to a clear link between the two incidents which occurred just four days apart.
Nicholas Hoyte called Ziah
The detectives now have a few more twists to unravel.
First they will have to establish if Hoyte’s killers were the same men who stormed the bar killing the waitress and wounding two other persons. They will also need to clear up if Hoyte fired at his killer before he was killed.
Kaieteur News understands that investigators impounded Hoyte’s car after the incident to check if any spent shells were inside.
However, according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, who was contacted yesterday, no weapon was found inside the car.
But the Crime Chief did indicate that Hoyte’s hands were swabbed and tests are being conducted on the clothing he was wearing at the time to ascertain if he returned fire at his killer.
On Friday January 8, three men, two of whom were armed with handguns, attacked and robbed patrons and staff of Safraz’s Bar and Restaurant at Lamaha and David Streets in Kitty.
According to the police, initial investigations revealed that the three men entered the nightspot and held up the patrons and staff. The men proceeded to rob several persons of their jewellery, cash and cell phones, in addition to the proceeds of the day’s sales from the bartender.
While the gunmen were on the premises, some of the patrons managed to run to safety at the back of the building.
However, Kulmattie Singh, a waitress, was not so lucky. Singh was reportedly trying to assist patrons to safety in a room at the back of the bar when she was shot almost at point blank range by one of the gunmen.
Australian Jason Montgomery, 36, was shot in the abdomen, while Ronald Dhanraj, another patron, was shot under his left arm.
Police had detained several persons for questioning but they were subsequently released.
Crime Chief Persaud said that although, there was some video footage from the bar, it has not yet proven to be very helpful in terms of positively identifying the perpetrators.
There were also reports that the killing of Nicholas Hoyte was also captured on surveillance cameras in the area. However, according to Persaud, although there were cameras around, “what is available did not cover the incident.”
Hoyte was sitting in his motor vehicle when another car drove up alongside. A number of shots were discharged at Hoyte from the vehicle, which struck him about the body, and the car sped away.
He was rushed to the GPHC where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
No one has so far been arrested for his execution.
Meanwhile, the Crime Chief disclosed that investigators are seeking a suspect in connection with another execution-style killing that occurred on January 9.
In that incident, Vibert Weeks called ‘Vibee’ was gunned down in Robb Street, Lacytown.
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