-suspected mastermind released after alleged political directives
Two men from George-town were yesterday remanded to prison in relation to the attack which was carried out last Thursday on a Chinese national businessman at Springlands, Upper Corentyne, while the suspected architect of the plot was released on station bail after alleged interference.
The two accused, Sheldon Adams and Delwin December, both appeared at the Mibicuri Magistrate’s Court, where they were charged jointly for unlawful wounding and larceny.
The men, who were not required to plead, were charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Jimmy Sung on February 14th at Springlands, Corentyne.
Additionally, the men were charged with robbing Chan Ji Wong of a cellphone, valued $100,000, on the same date and at the same location.
However, the two men told the magistrate that they had given investigators a confession regarding an “altercation” as they strongly denied in court that they stole any cellphone.
December said, “It was not about stealing anything. There was an altercation.”
However, prosecutor Orin Joseph told the court that the police were in receipt of a caution statement and a video confession from both men. Joseph also asked the court to note that the men in the docks stated that they gave a statement about an altercation. He told the court that Sung suffered a fractured skull, lacerations to the left side of his face and had to return to the hospital for further medical attention.
As a result, Magistrate Alex Moore remanded the men to prison. They are to make their second court appearance at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court on April 8th.
Additionally, Stabroek News was told yesterday, that two cellphones were found in the possession of the men while they were being transported to the New Amsterdam Prison yesterday. An
investigation has been launched into that matter, a police source said.
Political directives
Meanwhile, the police in Berbice are continuing the investigation since the men in their confession statements reportedly alleged that a Skeldon businessman hired them to carry out the attack on Sung.
It is alleged that the businessman, who constructed two new buildings in the Upper Corentyne Area over a short period of time, would have owed Sung some $4 million for items he purchased from his business.
However, while investigators would have arrested the businessman and hoped to interrogate him, they were unable to do so as it is now alleged that due to political directives the businessman was released on $100,000 bail. A police source yesterday told this newspaper, that a senior political official ordered the man be placed on bail. The police source, who was upset over the matter, explained that they were hoping to further question the businessman. He also stated that a representative from the Alliance for Change (AFC), who is close friends with a government minister, was present at the station for a “long time” before the man was placed on bail.
Senior AFC officials in the region yesterday noted that they were aware of the political directives. One official said, “This is the same thing why people losing faith in us” as he condemned the actions of his colleague.
The police source yesterday noted that they will be continuing the investigation in hopes of filing charges against the businessman at the earliest opportunity.
Stabroek News was also told that this is the second time in a short period that political directives have led to the release of persons in custody in Berbice.