Trial of duo in Lethem Post Office robbery/murder continues

Nov 06, 2019 News

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Detective Police Sergeant Winter, yesterday, testified that he was among the party of police ranks who visited the scene of a robbery/murder at the Lethem Post Office back in January 2013. Winter was at the time testifying in the trial of Alvin Kissoon, formerly of 395 Kaneville, Grove, East Bank Demerara; and Calvin King, formerly of 280 Savage Street, North East La Penitence, Georgetown. The two men are accused of the January 19, 2013 murder of John Friday.

According to State Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs, Kissoon and King left Georgetown for Lethem where they robbed the post office, killing Friday, who was employed as the security guard.
Sergeant Winter told the court that during January 2013, he was stationed at the Lethem Police Station. He said that on the day in question, he visited the post office which was at time housed in the same building as the Lethem Regional Democratic Council (RDC). Upon arrival at the robbery scene, Sergeant Winter said he saw the motionless body of Friday lying on the floor.
According to him, Friday’s hands and feet were bound with a piece of green rope. The police rank also said that he saw what appeared to be blood on nearby walls. He said that Friday was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
Among other things, the police witness testified that he conducted investigations in and around the RDC building. He said that after entering the area where the post office was situated, he saw two metal safes—one with both sides damaged and another which was empty. The witness also testified that he saw several torn large envelopes, as well as brown paper envelopes bearing the names of persons. Also testifying yesterday, were two police witnesses. They were called to give evidence in a voir dire, which continues this morning with another police rank taking to the stand.
Earlier on in the trial, Cecelia Austin who has been employed with the Guyana Post Office (GPO) as a Post Mistress for the past 29 years testified. Austin told the court that during January 2013, she was stationed at the Lethem Post Office. She recounted that on January 19, 2013 around 06:55am, a staffer of the post office came at her home and told her something after which she immediately contacted 911. According to her, she then went down to the Lethem Police Station where she saw police ranks conducting investigations.
Austin said that she entered her office, along with a staffer, after the police wrapped up their work and informed her that the post office had been broken into. She said that upon entering her office, she discovered mail scattered all over the floor and that two safes which stored money and other valuables were open. She recounted that one of the safes contained $1,000 notes, while the other contained $500, $100 and $20 notes, stamps, a cellular phone and 41 $500 GTT landline phone cards.
Austin added that when she left work for home on January 18, 2013, and a total of $4.6M was in the two safes. The monies were missing when she returned the following day. Asked by Prosecutor Gibbs to explain how the safes are secured, Austin said that a master key, an iron bar and a padlock were used to lock both of the safes. She also recounted that prior to the robbery, Kissoon had visited the post office to uplift a money order for $20,000, but was unable to do so as he had no form of identification.
Eulene Smith, a former manager for a hotel in Lethem, was also called to give testimony. The former hotel manager recalled that during January 2013, she was in charge of her mother’s hotel, which was situated at Lot 71 Windmill Road, Tabatinga, Lethem.
The witness told the court that on January 16, 2013, about 10:00hrs, four men and a woman arrived at the hotel in a car; they were carrying a large silver box that resembled a crate.
Asked by Prosecutor Gibbs whether the hotel guests give their names, the witness replied in the affirmative. She recalled that one of them identified himself as Alvin King.
The others, she said, gave their names as Kissoon and Jason. The witness, however, could not remember the name of the woman whom she described as “Rasta.” She then pointed out King who was seated in the prisoner’s dock.
According to the witness, Kissoon and the woman stayed in Room Three, while the other three men stayed together in Room One. She said that King was the one who paid for the rooms, which were to be occupied for three days. She recalled that on January 18, 2013 around 13:00hrs, King asked her to go the Lethem Post Office and collect some money for him because at time he did not walk with his identification card.
She said she collected $20,000 on his behalf. She added that the last time she saw the five persons was on the said day around 17:00hrs; but upon checking around 19:00hrs, she realised that they had left the premises.
This trial continues this morning before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-person jury at the High Court in Demerara.

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