Sophia family robbed second time in two years

Aug 10, 2016 News

The injuries Bhim Singh sustained during the attack

A North Sophia businessman and his family were brutally attacked and robbed by three gunmen shortly after 21:00 hrs on Monday.
Bhim Singh, 52, told Kaieteur News that he had just parked his vehicle in his Lot B 17 North Sophia home, and was about to enter the house, when a man suddenly appeared before him and struck him repeatedly across the face with a handgun. Singh said that he lost consciousness after the severe pistol-whipping.
The man that struck Singh reportedly fired off two shots and barged into the house where he joined two accomplices and proceeded to savagely beat Singh’s wife and daughter.
His wife said that the men stomped her repeatedly as she lay on the floor, she said that they kept asking for money and ransacked the bottom flat before searching the building’s upper flat.
After their search didn’t unearth anything of much value, one of the bandits held a cutlass to Singh’s daughter and again demanded money while threatening to slash her throat. The young woman, fearing for her life, immediately handed over the cash that was in the house – $1,100 Canadian and G$48,000 in cash, along with jewellery.
After the cash was handed over, the trio made good their escape while firing more shots in the air. According to reports, a neighbour who saw the men running through the street shouted for help. Upon hearing that, the men reportedly fired three rounds at the neighbour’s house.
Singh said that when he regained consciousness, he immediately called the police, who arrived five minutes after the ordeal. He said that he found a fully loaded magazine in the yard and a spent shell, which he handed over to the police.
This is the second time in two years that the Singh family has been attacked by gunmen. In 2014, two men armed with handguns invaded their home, Singh however managed to fight off his assailants, who escaped.
The businessman said that he had applied for a firearm licence in 2012 which was acknowledged by then Commissioner, Leroy Brumell, but was given the “royal run around” at the Brickdam Police Station. He said that police officials told him that they lost his documents and that he would have to reapply. Singh subsequently reapplied earlier this year and he showed Kaieteur News a letter indicating that his application was received by the Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine.
He said that had he been granted a firearm licence, he believes that he would have been able to apprehend at least one of the bandits this time around.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News