Coldingen shooting… Elroy Newton tells “what really happened”

Jul 30, 2013 News

By Abena Rockcliffe
Elroy Newton, 33, who was said to have been involved in the attempted robbery at a Coldingen, East Coast Demerara Chinese restaurant, has now come with his side of the story. Newton denied even a remote involvement in the planned act.
According to reports, on July 12, the police received information that three men, Odinga Allen of Brusche Dam, Buxton, East Coast Demerara; Elroy Newton, a former army corporal of Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara; and Leon Howard of Friendship were planning to rob the restaurant.
But before the men could have carried out their act, police arrived and spoiled their plan. Allen was shot after he reportedly opened fire on ranks.
Howard and Allen, who were said to have been heavily armed, were cornered at the restaurant. A Keltec 9mm. sub-machine gun with nine rounds and a .38 revolver with two rounds were recovered from Howard and Allen.
Kaieteur News had stated in the initial article that Newton was charged in June 2010 with robbery under arms.
It was alleged that Newton robbed Safraz Khan at gunpoint of $2M. He was said to have been a serving corporal in the Guyana Defence Force for 13 years, and was attached to the Joint Services Special Operations group.
The case was dismissed and all charges were dropped against Newton.
The ex-soldier who is now a minibus driver told Kaieteur News that after six months, the case was dismissed as the victims pleaded that it was a case of mistaken identity.
Commenting on his latest unfortunate event he described it as a case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Allen claimed that he was in the restaurant to buy an energy drink.
Newton told this newspaper that he was at the road corner waiting on a cousin when the police arrived at the restaurant on the evening of July 12.
He said that during the shooting he didn’t move. Newton claimed that he stayed where he was since he assumed that he was in a position where the bullets could not have caught him. Asked if he didn’t become confused by the sudden fire of gunshots, Newton reminded that he had been in the military for some 13 years but was suspended due to the case of “mistaken identity.”
When the shooting was over, Newton said that the police came out to a crowd on the road corner. He explained that one rank approached him while he was on the phone and asked him who he was talking to. The ex solider said he responded that he was talking to a cousin whom he was to meet at the spot.
According to Newton’s wife, the man was waiting at that spot since he had been spending a few days by his brother- in- law who lives in that area.
It so happened that as soon as the rank collected the phone to hear the voice on the other line, Newton “cousin’s” credit had finished and the phone cut off.
The rank then told him to remove from the road. Newton said that he went across to the opposite side of the road where he claimed lots of other people converged to observe the scene.
But sticking around a crime scene even after the police told him to vacate the premises, caused Newton much discomfort.
The ex soldier said that the same rank looked across the road, saw him, and ordered him in the police vehicle with the other two who were caught with firearm.
Newton told Kaieteur News that he was taken to Vigilance Police Station where he was not taken out the vehicle but received a severe physical thrashing with “a big gun” from police ranks.
As a result of the beating, Newton said he sustained a wound to his face and laceration about the body.
He told Kaieteur News that after being beaten, he was then taken to Eve Leary where for the first time during the ordeal, he was asked questions relating to his linkage to the robbery.
The bus driver said that he related what happened to the officer who interviewed him and he was sent to the hospital to be treated.
Newton said that he was then locked up for three days without being charged. He was on the fourth day released and placed on $20,000 bail.
Newton said that this time he sees the importance of clearing things up since the case of “mistaken identity” had caused him a lot. The records are always there. He lost his job as a soldier and jobs after that are hard to secure with a criminal record.
His wife said that “this will now seem as if (robbery) is what he does for a living. It is not, and this needs to be cleared up.”

Latest News

Coldingen shooting… Elroy Newton tells “what really happened”

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | September. 30th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Uncertainty clouds Golden Jaguars’ Head Coach position as...

Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to...

Dominica’s Olympic champion Thea LaFond-Gadson...

Julien Alfred named finalist for World Track...

Junior Sinclair replaces Kevin Sinclair in the CG...

Hamilton Green KO Football Championship starts...

Features/Columnists

Fingerprinting and Finger-Pointing

Rising Gun Crimes in the Caribbean: Urgent Action required by all

Jagdeo the genius, genie- don’t ask what kinds

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Coldingen shooting… Elroy Newton tells “what really happened”

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | September. 30th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]