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State House Shooter off ventilator, to be interviewed by Police
Kaieteur News – Almost one week after he staged an attack at State House, the official home of President Irfaan Ali, Nigerian national Bethel Chimezie is off of a ventilator and will soon be interviewed by Law Enforcement Officials.
Crime Chief, Wendell Blanhum, told Kaieteur News that once Chimezie regains consciousness and his condition improves, he will definitely be questioned.
Chimezie was shot multiple times after he opened fire on members of the Presidential Guard on Carmichael Street, Georgetown. He was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he underwent surgery for his injuries.
He was reportedly placed on a ventilator after surgery and according to police he has since been taken off the machine and is in a stable condition.
On December 15, 2022 Chimezie had reportedly entered a security room located at the south eastern side of State House facing Carmichael Street, Georgetown and demanded to see President Irfaan Ali.
Bethel Chimezie
“I want the President [Mohamed Irfaan Ali])” the man reportedly said before pulling a knife from his pants waist and stabbing Telon Perriera, a member of the Presidential Guard, five times to the neck and body.
Upon seeing the violent attack, other members of the Presidential Guard on duty rushed to Perriera’s aid but the intruder managed to disarm a female member of her 9mm pistol and started shooting at the Officers.
Members of the Presidential Guard returned fire in their counter- attack and pursued Chimezie to New Market Street where he was eventually shot.
President Mohamed Irfaan Ali is yet to make an official statement on the matter and the public is eager to learn about the motive behind Chimezie’s actions. Many critics have begun to question the major breach of security at State House and have called for ‘comprehensive security arrangements for Ali’.
One of them, a former Head of the Presidential Guard, Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, wrote in a recently published letter in the daily newspapers, “This clearly shows that something is definitely wrong with the security arrangements at that location. It is fortunate that (according to the sketchy reports) the person once in possession of the firearm did not attempt to go further into the compound of State House”.
He called for a comprehensive review of the entire security arrangements, not only at State House, but at other buildings where Senior Government and other Functionaries work and live.
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