Ballistics link Coldingen bandits to Mahaica farmer’s murder

Aug 30, 2013 News

Just when the skeptics were lining up to hammer the police for their inability to solve murders, ballistic science has come to their rescue, leading to the charging of a man for the killing of Mahaica farmer, 27- year-old Omadat Persaud, last June.
The case was cracked wide open when investigators were able to link weapons recovered from bandits during a shootout following a botched robbery at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, a few days after the Mahaica killing.

Omadat Persaud

Leon Howard, one of the bandits captured after the shootout was remanded to prison by Magistrate Zameena Ally, when he appeared before her at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, charged with Persaud’s murder.
Howard, of Friendship, East Coast Demerara, who was on bail on charges of being illegally in possession of arms and ammunition, which stemmed from the attempted robbery on a Chinese restaurant at Coldingen, was re-arrested last week when he made a court appearance. This was after police ballistics experts were able to match the bullets at the scene of Persaud’s murder to a Keltec 9mm. sub-machine gun and a .38 revolver which were recovered from the bandits after the shootout.
His accomplice Odinga Allen, 23, of Brusche Dam, Buxton, also on the East Coast of Demerara, who was also charged with illegal possession of arms and ammunition, will also face the court soon on the murder charge.
Kaieteur News understands that Allen was unable to post bail for the arms and ammo charge and he will be arraigned for the murder at his next court date.
Almost two months ago, on July 8, bandits stormed a Supply, Mahaica home, killing Omadat Persaud and robbing his visiting sister and her family in a brutal 15-minute assault that left the entire village in a state of shock.
Initially, residents had lamented the police response to the report of the incident and were not too optimistic that there would have been any justice, especially since the bandits were masked and no one could have recognized them. However, the police, despite all the skepticism, never gave up and their perseverance eventually bore fruit.
Three nights after that act, gunfire erupted at Coldingen, East Coast Demerara, with police shooting one suspected bandit and capturing two others after cornering the heavily-armed men in a Chinese restaurant that they were reportedly planning to rob.
Allen was shot in the right knee, allegedly after opening fire on the ranks, while Howard was taken into custody, unhurt.
Another man, Elroy Newton, a 33-year-old former army corporal of

The guns which were recovered from the Coldingen shootout.

Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara, who police had initially suspected was a part of the gang was arrested and subsequently released.
Police recovered a Keltec 9mm. sub-machine gun with nine rounds and a .38 revolver with two rounds from the suspects.

2 thoughts on “Ballistics link Coldingen bandits to Mahaica farmer’s murder”

GT@heart August 30, 2013 at 5:16 am

I must be the first to commend the police and detectives in their bravery and splendid investigative work in apprehending and arresting the perpetrators in the gruesome robbery and murder. The Guyana Police force still has good men, as a Proud Guyanese this is what I am accustomed to back in the 70s to at least in the early 90s. When a crime is committed our men in uniform work relentlessly in bringing these bandits and these unfit things to justice, I need not call them human beings, because they are not fit for our society.
Guest August 30, 2013 at 1:23 pm

I’ll give credit when it’s due and certainly the police deserves such credit at this time.l
Great work GPF, you’re finally shining like the sun.