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Newspaper vendor’s murder…Crime Chief says cops lacked evidence to keep first suspects in custody
Acting Crime Chief Michael Kingston is defending a decision to release four youths who were the original suspects in the murder of Queenstown, Essequibo newspaper vendor, Shawn Mannilall.
Three of the youths, all in their twenties, were rearrested last Friday, while a fourth remains at large.
Dead: Shawn Mannilall
The re-arrested suspects have reportedly implicated themselves in the killing, even as three other youths remain on remand for the same crime.
Kingston told Kaieteur News that when the men, now deemed to be suspects, were first arrested and detained, police lacked sufficient evidence to keep them in custody and have charges instituted,
He said that it was only after an individual recently came forward with information, were his detectives able to re-arrest the youths. Police were reportedly told that one of the suspects had borrowed a helmet from the informant but not returned it.
The individuals who killed Mannilall had reportedly worn helmets.
The Crime Chief noted that it is standard procedure for investigators to release and then re-arrest persons when fresh evidence is provided.
According to Kingston, “people should be happy that we are carrying out an investigation to get all those who were involved.”
He revealed that the police will be seeking further advice on the matter.
One area investigators are likely to examine is whether anyone supplied the killers with information about Mannilall’s business transactions. It is alleged that the attackers apparently knew that Mannilall had recently withdrawn a specific sum of cash from a commercial bank.
Investigators are also likely to arrange a confrontation today between the re-arrested trio and those who were charged last Wednesday with Mannilall’s murder.
The recently arrested youths included two brothers and one of their friends. They all reportedly live in close proximity of the slain vendor. One of the youths is said to be a close friend of a relative of the murdered man.
The suspects when they were first arrested.
Remanded last Wednesday for murdering Mannilall during the course or furtherance of a robbery are Carl Carter, Delhoya McKenzie and Carlton Carter.
According to information, Mannilall, 48, of Parcel 61 Queenstown, Essequibo Coast, was shot and killed around 20:00hrs on January 10, 2020.
It is alleged that Mannilall and his family were about to enter their home when they were stopped in their tracks by two men. The intruders were reportedly wearing helmets while brandishing a handgun and a cutlass.
It is alleged that the men demanded some $125,000 from Mannilall, who was said to have recently uplifted the cash from a bank.
It is alleged that after the vendor resisted, one of the bandits shot him in the chest, shoulder and abdomen. The gang reportedly fled empty-handed.
Mannilall was rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
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