Ramjattan supports police in deadly seawall shooting of three bandits

Apr 05, 2018 News

Shot dead:
Kwame Assanah

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan, yesterday supported the police version of events surrounding the March 15 shooting at the Georgetown seawall. That shooting ended in the death of three men, believed to be bandits.
“I am on the side of the Police Commissioner [David Ramnarine]. I believe his version and what transpired is the truthful version. At this stage; however, we are going to ensure that there be a full investigation,” Ramjattan stated.
Dextroy ‘Dutty’ Cordis, 46, of Grove, East Bank Demerara; Kwame Assanah, of Buxton, East Coast Demerara; and Errol Adams, aka Dynamite, 57, of Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast, and also of Buxton,

were all shot dead in a confrontation, police said in statement that day.
The Public Security Minister noted that for the majority of cases, any good responsible government will attach some credibility and reliability to police investigators unless there is something so egregious that will lead to immediate questions about police conduct.
Just like all suspects, Ramjattan noted that the police reserve the right of

Shot dead:
Dextroy ‘Dutty’ Cordis

Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan answering questions from reporters about the deadly seawall shooting.

presumption of innocence which should be across the board.
“I don’t want us to start demoralizing our policemen. There is an extraordinarily negative view that can happen and I am going to support our policemen until such time as they are proven to have done something wrong,” Ramjattan stated.
He explained that police investigators are awaiting statements from three alleged eye witnesses being assisted by attorney Nigel Hughes, who has been retained by the Cordis family. They are responding to allegations that the police used excessive force.
The three witnesses, according to Hughes, are fearful for their lives and prefer to speak with an investigator independent of the police probe.
Investigators have found several loose ends in the version of events told to the media by Devon Lyte, who claimed to be one the three witnesses to the shooting. He claimed to have been standing on the roof of a building under construction at the Ministry of Education Sports Club Ground at Carifesta Avenue which runs parallel to the seawall.
Investigators have since discovered that Lyte was not on the roof of the building. Further, the shooting took place at least 350 yards (1050 feet) from the work place. Between Lyte and the scene of the incidents, were almost two and half football fields- with the NIS and GNS Sports Club Pavilions in between- with trees.
According to Ramjattan, there are some questions to be asked of the Lyte’s version of being on the roof.
“These matters can have a way with them, but the trouble is that the coroner’s inquest is going to find out even better because they can be the witnesses being called there and I hope the coroner being the kind of investigator, they [witnesses] are not going to be afraid to come forward,” Ramjattan stated.
He noted that investigators want to complete the file and send it to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office in accordance with the regular procedures that will most likely lead to a coroner’s inquest.
The police said that they were alerted to the men who were trailing a customer from a Robb Street bank. They confronted the men.
A 9mm pistol along with a magazine containing seven live rounds and four spent shells were found next to Cordis’s body. Motorcar, PTT 9034, a black Toyota IST, which was being driven by Assanah at the time of the confrontation, was searched. The car was registered to Claire James of Lamaha Park.
Items found included a supernumerary precept, one driver’s licence, ten passports belonging to Assanah and family members, a key used by trunkers, two handcuff keys, a bandana and clothing.
Cordis and Adams were known to the police, but family members insist that Assanah was not a bandit.
Law enforcement officials described the shooting as resulting from increased surveillance in response to the recent spate of robberies committed on customers after they had conducted financial transactions at various commercial banks.
Guyana had been under siege with a significant number of persons robbed and shot, after being trailed from the banks. There were deep suspicions that bank employees were working in alliance with bandits. This was never substantiated.

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