Cop arrested for deadly hit-and-run

Jul 04, 2026 News

---

…forensics tests, blood stains tie car to double death

(Kaieteur News) – A 29-year-old policeman has been arrested after investigators allegedly uncovered what they believe was an attempt to conceal his involvement in the hit-and-run crash that killed two Nabaclis men on the Bee Hive Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara, last Sunday night. The rank, Corporal Shareef Mohamed, was taken into custody after police examined his damaged vehicle and reportedly recovered suspected blood traces using luminol, nearly a week after Collin ‘Cappo’ Bristol and Akeem ‘Burnham’ Burgess were fatally struck and left on the roadway.

Kaieteur News understands that Bristol and Burgess were on a bike when a car hit them. The car drove away from the scene. Public-spirited citizens later responded to assist the men, but they were pronounced dead at the Enmore Regional Hospital by the time they were transported there for treatment.

Reports reaching Kaieteur News last night disclosed that acting on information received, two ranks visited Lot 25 River View Housing Scheme, Unity, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, where they contacted Shareef Mohamed, a 29-year-old Guyanese male of Indian descent, residing at the said address. Mohamed is Corporal of Police No. 23531, stationed at the Annandale Police Outpost, East Coast Demerara, and is the registered owner of motorcar PAK 1593.

The vehicle was observed with damage consistent with having been involved in a vehicular accident. Mohamed was questioned regarding how the vehicle sustained the damage. He stated that at about 21:20hrs on Monday, 2026-06-29, he was involved in an incident along the Unity Access Road, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, during which he lost control of the vehicle and ended up in a trench.

Based on this information, ASP Massay and Sgt. Caleb returned to Cove and John Police Station.

Acting on additional information received, at about 16:15hrs on 2026-07-02, ASP Massay and Sgt. No. 18523 Caleb revisited Corporal Mohamed’s residence, where he was invited to the Cove and John Police Station. His motorcar was also taken to the station, where a thorough examination was conducted by ranks of the Criminal Investigation Department Crime Scene Unit in his presence.

During the examination, luminol was applied to the vehicle, and several suspected blood samples were recovered, collected as evidence, and submitted for DNA analysis. Corporal Mohamed was subsequently placed under arrest.

In their initial report, police had stated that the accident occurred on Sunday, 28th June, 2026 about 23:00hrs on Beehive Railway Embankment Road Public Road East Coast Demerara involving an unknown motor vehicle and one black CG Motorcycle # CG 8393, owner name and address unknow at this time. The motorcycle was driven by Collis Bristol, a construction worker of Lot 60 Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara and pillion rider Akeem Burgess, 31, a horse cart driver and resides at Lot 51 Section C, Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara.

According to the police, enquiries disclosed that motorcycle # CG 8393 was proceeding west on the southern driving lane on Beehive Railway Embankment Road, East Coast Demerara while an unknown motor vehicle was proceeding in the opposite direction and a collision occurred.

As a result of the collision, the rider and pillion rider sustained injuries about their body and were picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens and taken to Enmore Regional Hospital to seek medical attention. Upon arrival, the driver of the motorcycle was seen and examined by a doctor on duty who pronounced him dead while the pillion rider succumbed to his injuries while seeking medical attention about 23:30hrs. Their bodies were taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home and Crematorium awaiting a post mortem examination. The area was searched and several persons questioned but no useful information was received.

Meanwhile, angry residents of Clonbrook and relatives of the deceased had lamented the police’s slow response to the accident and had launched a campaign offering a reward of $200,000  for information on the suspect.

At a recent stakeholder consultation, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ravindradat Budhram said road safety is a shared responsibility which requires collective action. He noted that road accidents, whether minor, serious or fatal, continue to occur daily countrywide. The latest statistics show a four per cent increase in fatal accidents during the current reporting period, while road fatalities have risen by seven per cent.

According to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Andre Ally, 56 fatal accidents and 62 deaths were recorded in the first 170 days of 2026. During the same period last year, there were 54 fatal accidents and 58 deaths.

Speeding accounted for 75 per cent of all fatal accidents recorded so far this year.

Deputy commissioner Budhram said the Police Force has begun implementing the internationally recognised Safe System Approach, which acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, deaths and serious injuries on the roads are preventable.

The approach focuses on stronger legislation, safer infrastructure and vehicles, responsible road users, effective enforcement, public education and the use of AI technology to create a safer transport system.

Other measures introduced by the GPF also include the deployment of 21 operational speed cameras, the issuance of more than 27,000 electronic traffic tickets and the suspension of 22 drivers’ licences for serious traffic offences.

The Force has also expanded road safety education programmes in schools and communities while increasing patrols in accident hotspots and high-risk corridors to curb speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving and other dangerous behaviours.

To improve accountability during traffic enforcement, officers are now equipped with body-worn cameras.

Accordingly, the learner driver’s programme has been reassigned and digitised following longstanding public criticism. It is being delivered through the Guyana Digital School platform.

Despite these advancements, the deputy commissioner stressed that technology and enforcement alone will not change road user behaviour.

“Lasting improvements in road safety require every stakeholder to play a role. We must work together to foster a culture that complies with traffic laws, motivated not by fear of penalties but by a shared commitment to preserving life,” he said.

Looking ahead, the GPF 2027–2030 strategy will further modernise traffic management by expanding speed camera coverage nationwide and traffic collision and accident hotspot/mapping under the Safe Country Initiative.

The strategy also includes the introduction of a demerit point system, the deployment of speed governors (speed limiters), the expansion of electronic ticketing for heavy-duty vehicles and the use of artificial intelligence and data analysis to support smarter, evidence-based policing.

---

• blood stains, Cop, Cop arrested, forensics tests, hit and run

---