Police seeking duo over auto repair shop robbery

The police are currently pursuing two suspects in connection with Wednesday afternoon’s invasion at an Industrial Site, Ruimveldt repair shop during which two persons were injured and a quantity of valuables including two licensed firearms were stolen.

This is according to Commander of ‘A’ Division Marlon Chapman, who said that up to yesterday afternoon, the suspects had not been apprehended.

A group of armed bandits invaded the auto repair shop around 2.30 pm on Wednesday during which they assaulted two Chinese nationals—a customer and an employee—and carted off cash, valuables and two licensed firearms.

The two injured persons, who were beaten and gun-butted, were taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where they were treated and sent away.

Stabroek News had previously reported that about four men armed with firearms, cutlasses and other weapons invaded the business and began to assault the employees and customer demanding that they hand over their valuables.

The victims abided and some of them were assaulted before the bandits, whose faces were concealed, fled the scene in two cars.

A customer had related to reporters that he had just arrived at the workshop to repair his vehicle when the attack occurred. An employee had said, “One of them telling the other one, ‘let we go along,’ but he turn and seh, ‘no we got to get something before we lef hay suh.’” Shafaur Alli, one of the two siblings charged with the discovery of cocaine in frozen fish at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), last year June, had the matter dismissed yesterday, after the prosecution failed to prove its case. Alli, and his sister, Lazeena Imrazi were accused of being in possession of 9.444 kilogrammes of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking on June 8, at the CJIA.

Trial Magistrate Leron Daly when presenting her ruling, told the court that the prosecution’s main evidence was an oral statement made by the defendant. Alli is alleged to have told police, “Oh (expletive), officer, I owe people money.”

According to the Magistrate, in considering the oral statement made by the accused, the court had to decide whether or not the accused had possession, knowledge and intent in relation to the drugs.

The court also heard that based on the evidence presented, it was stated that the drugs were packed at a fish place on the East Bank Demerara, but the defendant was picked up from his home at Lot 11, La Jalousie, West Coast Demerara.

Based on the oral statement, the Magistrate noted that the case against the accused was not strong and subsequently dismissed the matter.

On August 8, 2016, Imrazi was also freed, after a no-case submission was upheld by Magistrate Daly.

The siblings were represented by attorney Bernard Da Silva.