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Brothers among three shot, woman abducted during robbery
– One dead, two critical
By Latoya Giles
One man is dead, while two others are seriously injured after bandits robbed and shot at them shortly after
Dead: Cleveland Smithet
07:30hrs yesterday at the Five Star Backdam, in the North West District.
Police sources are also following up a report that a woman was taken by the bandits and has not been located up to press time.
Confirmed dead is Cleveland Smithet 37, of Kuru Kuru, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, his older brother Trevor received a gunshot to the back of his head and was in an unconscious state. Another man, Lloyd David, was also shot. This newspaper was told that the two injured men had not received any medical attention since the police had not yet arrived on the scene to transport them to the nearest hospital.
This newspaper was told that the police were having difficulty with getting transportation to the area. Kaieteur News understands that up to 17:05hrs yesterday the police had not located the men.
Meanwhile shocked relatives yesterday said they received the news of the shooting sometime around 08:00hrs yesterday. Caslyn Lewis, the sister of the two Smithets, said it was another relative who called. Lewis related to Kaieteur News that she was told that her brothers and David were on their way out of the backdam when
Trevor Smithet
they were confronted by the bandits.
The woman said that the men were relieved of all the “raw gold” that they had in their possession. It was unclear if a scuffle ensued between the parties, but the men were shot multiple times about the body. Lewis said Cleveland died on the spot while Trevor, was still alive up to press time, but his condition was critical.
“They said that he’s not looking too good…,”the woman told Kaieteur News.
Cleveland Smithet leaves to mourn his wife, his parents, five brothers and three sisters. Distraught relatives yesterday lamented that the entire incident has highlighted the fact that there is need for more police patrol in the area. The men’s sister said that the police should stop visiting the landing only.
“This is a major blow for our family…..we can’t celebrate Christmas,” said one relative yesterday.
Only recently a Brazilian was shot at the same Five Star Backdam. The wounded man, Brazilian Felix De Souza, and another individual were attacked and robbed by four men, two of whom were armed with handguns.
It was reported that the perpetrators entered a mining camp and held up the two Brazilians and took away a quantity of raw gold, a digital camera and a licensed .32 pistol with seven rounds from them. During the intrusion the men discharged several rounds, hitting Brazilian national Felix De Souza to his shoulder and jaw.
A source had told this newspaper that during the process of bringing the gold, which amounted to eight ounces, out of the backdam, two of the Brazilians, one with the firearm, had gone ahead to “clear the way”.
They were the first to be confronted by the bandits who took away the firearm and waited for the other camp members with the gold to arrive.
The source said that the other miners, including de Souza and a woman, saw the bandits and attempted to turn around in a bid to escape. That was when the bandits opened fire, hitting De Souza.
The men then took away eight ounces of raw gold which the woman had in her possession and escaped. The police eventually managed to arrest and charge several persons in connection with that incident. In recent months the police have said that the E &F Division has recorded a majority of the country’s murders.
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