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Burnt to death East Bank Essequibo elderly couple…Resident captures youth who hatched robbery plot
– youth who lit fire linked to nine robberies
– accomplices pointed out customers in commercial banks
The net continues to tighten around the gang that burned business couple Mohamed and Bibi Munir in their home eight months ago, with police now capturing an East Bank Essequibo youth who played a central role in the plot.
Kaieteur News understands that the youth, who is from Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo, was arrested after a civilian realised that he was the same individual known as ‘Plank’, that police had named as one of the suspects. The resident held onto ‘Plank’ and then notified the police of the ‘arrest.’
The suspect, who is in his early twenties, has reportedly told investigators that he merely acted as a look-out when his accomplices entered the house.
Police confirmed that it was ‘Plank’ who had told another youth from the village that Mohamed Munir and his wife had stashed $20M in their home.
Mohamed Munir and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir
Detectives also questioned a brother of the detained youth. He has told them that he saw the gang at the Munir property on the night they were slain.
Five other youths, including a neighbour of the slain couple, were rounded up last week. Still at large yesterday are a deportee known as ‘Pepsi’ and an East Bank Essequibo taxi driver known as ‘Coolie Boy,’ who allegedly transported the killers.
The case broke last Wednesday after police captured two young men who had robbed a female Hotel Tower employee of $2M after trailing her from a City bank.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhun indicated that one of the youths is said to be the individual who started the blaze after the couple refused to come out of their bedroom.
He has since been implicated in at least nine other armed robberies.
HAD ACCOMPLICES WHO ID’d BANK CUSTOMERS
According to Crime Chief Blanhum, the youth was positively identified as the individual who shot security guard Quacy Anthony Joseph last October in Fogarty’s.
The young bandit had trailed a customer, Abdel Odie from the Republic Bank into Fogarty’s and relieved Odie of $1.3M.
He was also implicated in the recent robbery of two fruit vendors. Police have “a very clear image” of the suspect from a security camera.
The same youth is believed to have robbed a woman on the East Coast of Demerara after trailing her from a commercial bank.
Police have now established that the young gunman had “well dressed accomplices,” who would enter commercial banks under the pretext of being customers.
They would then identify customers that the gunman should target.
Data seen by Kaieteur News indicate that the youth was charged last August for allegedly beating a woman, while relieving her of a $25,000 gold chain.
He was released on $75,000 bail.
Mohamed Munir, 75, and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir, 69, were burnt alive in their heavily-grilled home on the night of April 17, 2016.
The plot on the elderly couple was reportedly hatched by ‘Plank’, who told a 25-year-old neighbor of the Munirs, that the couple, who had vast rice farming property, kept $20 M in their home.
‘Plank’ and his friend then contacted ‘Pepsi’ a deportee who reportedly also lives on the East Bank of Essequibo. The gang then recruited ‘Coolie Boy’ as a driver and the 21-year-old hotel robbery suspect.
On the night of the attack, the neighbour, the 21-year-old robbery suspect and a third youth clambered onto the Munirs’ verandah. While some of their accomplices stood watch outside, the trio entered and began to ransack the house.
But the couple heard the commotion and raised an alarm. The two elderly people also refused to come out of their bedroom when the robbers ordered them to.
According to reports, one of the youths then set a sofa alight and tossed a fuel cylinder near the burning sofa.
They then fled through a track that led to a church and a cemetery in a street behind the couple’s home. From their hiding place, they heard Mohamed and Bibi Munir screaming for help.
Residents, and a family who was passing in a vehicle, were unable to free the trapped couple.
Kaieteur News understands that the deportee, known as ‘Pepsi’, was furious when the youths told him they did not get the $20M.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum expressed shock at the ages of the alleged perpetrators, and their callousness.
“The revelations by these perpetrators shocked all of us.
“It is hoped that they face the full force of the law, and that this serves to deter other young persons who are predisposed to criminal activity.”
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