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Labourer fatally shot by CPG member – three in custody
A small West Demerara community is heavily divided after a shooting death Wednesday night left a labourer dead and three of its own in police custody.
Dead: 20-year-old Godfrey Jhaggroo
Dead is 20-year-old Godfrey Jhaggroo called “Oh-Oh” of 31 Second Street, Belle Vue, a community located along the “sea-dam”, and less than a mile south of the entrance to Canal Number Two. The incident is said to have occurred at around 19:00hrs.
In custody are a member of the community police group (CPG), a bar owner who lives next door to the dead man, and the father of the alleged shooter.
According to a shocked Babita Jhaggroo, the dead man’s mother, her son came home from work shortly after 18:00 hrs Wednesday. He was the second of nine children and lived with the majority of his siblings.
Godfrey Jhaggroo, a father of one who is separated, became upset and had a quarrel with his mother after discovering that the DVD remote was not working. The woman said that the next door neighbour, who owns an off-licence liquor shop intervened and a quarrel ensued between the two.
According to the mother, the neighbour came over and allegedly threatened to hit her son. Persons in the shop were also inviting the mason to “fight”.
Following more arguments, the neighbour came in her yard and allegedly “dropped a lash” on Jhaggroo, across his abdomen. The injured man responded by pelting back the piece of wood which struck the neighbour’s daughter.
Jhaggroo then decided to make a report of the incident to the Wales Police Station.
“He left to go out on the road for transportation while I went to change my clothes.” A few minutes later the family said that they received news that he had been shot.
The shocked mother and siblings of the deceased yesterday speaking with the media.
The family rushed to the public road where they saw the neighbour’s wagon and a Toyota Raum.
By the time they reached the scene, which was at the entrance to the canefield, one of the cars left, apparently with the body of Godfrey Jhaggroo. They later learnt that he was taken to the West Demerara hospital where the alleged shooter fled after learning the wounded man had died.
Neighbours recalled hearing three loud shots.
Kaieteur News was told that shortly before the shooting, the rum shop owner complained to members of the community policing group about the incident involving Jhaggroo. Some of the CPG were earlier in the rum shop next door to the dead man.
A vehicle with two members of the neighbourhood policing group reportedly caught up with Jhaggroo at the public road which borders the canefields.
“Dem try to brackle he, but he run because dem wanted to beat he,” said an eyewitness.
Persons close to the scene said at least one warning shot was fired after Jhaggroo, before he was blasted by what sounded like a shotgun.
The labourer was reportedly shot in the back. There were three wounds behind his head, family members who saw the body said.
Neighbours said that the shooter is the son of a senior member of the community policing group.
“We hear he nah get gun licence. He tek the shotgun from the other man and he do the shooting.”
There were unconfirmed reports that the shooter was drinking shortly before.
Godfrey Jhaggroo’s home
There were questions yesterday from irate members of the community who wanted answers.
“How one man who ain’t get licence could tek away a gun from another man and shoot? Who give dem this power? Plus we see dem picking up shells after the shooting from the scene. It clear that they wanted to cover-up the shooting. This is wrong,” an upset neighbour of Jhaggroo said.
Yesterday, the police in a press release said that they are conducting investigations into the murder of Jhaggroo which occurred at about 19:00 hrs.
“Initial investigations have revealed that Godfrey Jhaggroo was involved in an argument with his mother during which a man, who resides next door and operates an off licence liquor store, intervened and assaulted him with a piece of wood.”
The police said that Jhaggroo was on his way to the Wales Police Station to make a report when he was confronted by three men, one of whom is a licenced firearm holder, “and who were at the off licence liquor store, during which he was shot to his back with a shotgun.”
The police statement did not say that the alleged shooter had vanished, but confirmed that three men are in custody assisting with the investigations.
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