West Dem businessman robbed of car at gunpoint
Acting Chief Justice Roxane George has ruled that President David Granger acted unlawfully when he revoked the leases for lands belonging to a group of Seafield, West Coast Berbice farmers.
The judge yesterday also granted a permanent conservatory order, restraining the Mahaica, Mahaicony, AbaryAgricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA), or any other officer of the state, from entering upon, or in any manner whatsoever, infringing with the farmers’ peaceful enjoyment of their land.
However, an application by the farmers—Philip Alexander Johnson, Rupert Blackman, Rawle Miller and Doreen Monah—for special damages was not awarded, as the court found that this was not proved.
Delivering an oral judgment yesterday morning at the High Court in Georgetown, Justice George said the revocation infringed the fundamental A 27-year-old businessman was on Sunday night held at gunpoint and robbed of his motorcar as he was about to enter his Westminster, West Bank Demerara premises.
The attack occurred around 10 pm during which Rajesh Lilman of Lot 4290 Block X, Westminster, WBD was relieved of his Toyota Allion motorcar, PVV 8590 valued $3M.
According to reports reaching Stabroek News, Lilman had just returned home and opened the gate to park his car in the yard. Upon returning to the vehicle, he was accosted by two bandits, one of whom was armed with a handgun.
The men held him at gunpoint and relieved him of his car keys before escaping. An investigation has been launched and several persons were questioned but the police have not yet apprehended the perpetrators.
In recent times, there has been a rise in hijacking cases with around one every day.
The Guyana Police Force had previously warned the public, specifically taxi drivers operating the Toyota Allion and Toyota Premio models, to be on the alert for potential hijackers.
The mode of committing the crime, the rights of the farmers to property, guaranteed in Article 142(1) of the Constitution.
That article provides, “No property of any description shall be compulsorily taken possession of, and no interest in or right over property of any description shall be compulsorily acquired, except by or under the authority of a written law and where provision applying to that taking of possession or acquisition is made by a written law requiring the police have observed, is for persons to hire cabs around Georgetown for destinations such as North Ruimveldt, Georgetown; Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara; Providence, East Bank Demerara; and West Demerara and rob the drivers of their personal belongings and their taxis upon arrival at the requested destination.
Crime Chief (Acting) Paul Williams had previously disclosed that the Guyana Police Force has embarked on an operation to target carjackers and will zoom in on body workshops since they are suspected to be the buyers of stolen vehicles parts.
Williams had also noted that the police force has collaborated with several other agencies and the owners will now have to meet certain requirements before they can operate the workshops.
“What we have recognised too is that the cars that are being hijacked or stolen now are the cars that find themselves outside of the GRA (Guyana Revenue Authority) stipulated requirement ”, he had said. As such, Williams noted that it has been observed that offenders targeted cars that are no longer imported in the country and stripped them to parts which they sell. prompt payment of adequate compensation.”
In their application challenging the revocation, the farmers were seeking compensation in the form of special damages for losses they claimed to have suffered after they were ousted from the lands.
The farmers had advanced in their application that at the time they were ready to reap paddy, one Flavio Farine, had moved unto the land without their permission, thus hindering them from reaping, resulting in economic loss.
The court, however, ruled that the applicants did not prove special damages, and as such, none could be awarded.
That apart, the farmers were seeking $5 million each in damages for breach of right to the enjoyment of their land. To this, the court also did not award compensation, but granted each $300,000 in costs.
The farmers had complained of life being extremely difficult for them as they could no longer adequately care for themselves and families after their farmlands were taken away.
They had earlier won a legal battle against the MMA-ADA, which had illegally cancelled their leases. However, the quartet