Roger Khan says he was target of Palm Court ‘hit’
-calls on President to ensure impartial probe after accusing cops of failure
about 20 times about his body.
Sources told Stabroek News that the police recovered 30 rounds at the scene. Sixteen were from an AK-47 rifle while the other fourteen were from a 9mm gun.
Hours after the shooting, a car resembling the one used in the shooting was discovered on fire at Swan Village on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. The police are yet to ascertain whether the car was the same one used in the crime.
During his almost sixteen-minute long speech, Khan described Fagundes as his “son” and not an associate, friend or worker.
As a result, he called Fagundes’ murder an attack on his home and family.
“He (Fagundes) lived in my home before I went into prison….He picked me up from Eve Leary, when I was released when I came home and he has never left my side. The night when he died, it was by my side. So this is an attack on my home,” Khan said while adding, “whoever did this, didn’t kill an associate, didn’t kill a friend, they came into my home and murdered my son. This is an attack on my home and on my family”.
Impartial investigation
According to Khan, the family will not rest until they receive justice.
“…The hearts of men bleed for justice. It is a natural, God-given, inalienable thing that God gives man, to try for justice and this act here, this injustice, if the police do not investigate this crime and follow the evidence rather than follow the money or any kind of corrupt motive, the hearts of men will become enraged,” Khan stated.
On the night in question, he said, the state security apparatus failed Fargundes.
“….It failed him and in the past week, the state security investigation has failed him and his family and I am telling you history can tell us that when there is no state security, lawlessness will prevail,” Khan added.
Khan pointedly criticised the handling of the investigation by the Guyana Police Force and stated that he believes that it has been compromised. “…I am angry, I am upset. You don’t have to look further…than the posture of the Guyana Police Force over the past week….I know I am taking great risk by saying these things but I will do it for Ricardo. We will not rest,” he said.
“This assassination has a particular signature to it, especially in light of the police posture over the past week. Not a single raid, not a single arrest, not a single witness,” he added.
Against this background, Khan appealed to President Ali for a “clean and impartial” investigation. “Mr President, we are asking you, I am asking you on behalf of the family of Ricardo, to give this investigation the very same attention that you gave the Henry boys. Ricardo’s life is no less important than any other life in Guyana. We are asking for the political will, we are asking for the resources, that this investigation be handled by impartial investigators,” he pleaded.
Khan’s comments, which were widely shared on Facebook in a video posted by Royston Drakes Production, prompted a swift response from the Guyana Police Force, which sought to assure that a “comprehensive” investigation is ongoing into the matter.
The police said that they are pursuing all leads to ensure that the perpetrator/s are brought to justice.
Additionally, the force said that the probe into Fagundes’ death is not compromised. Instead, the police said the matter is being treated with “seriousness” and “alacrity” by investigators of the Force’s Major Crimes Unit
Khan was questioned by the police as part of the investigation. He provided investigators with a written statement.
Since the murder, the police have been silent on the progress of the investigation.
Khan criticised the authorities for the action taken after the shooting, while noting that no proper efforts appear to have been made by the police to intercept the car the shooters were travelling in.
In the surveillance footage seen by Stabroek News, Fagundes was seen walking towards a black vehicle, which was parked in front of Palm Court.
As he approached the vehicle, two gunmen emerged from a white car parked on the eastern carriageway of Main Street, ran towards him and opened fire. After several shots, Fagundes collapsed. However, the gunmen still continued to shoot at him, running to the front of the vehicle where Fagundes lay.
Shortly after, one of the gunmen rushed back to the getaway car. His accomplice, then ran towards Fagundes, stood over him and discharged more rounds before he reentered the waiting motorcar. The car sped away along Main Street.
Khan noted that they arrived at Palm Court around 8.42pm and the shooting took place around 10.01pm. When Fagundes exited Palm Court, Khan assumed that he was going to move their vehicle closer to the exit.
“The assassins arrived at 9.42 and parked obliquely to attack the driver of the Ford, a vehicle that I drive…They stayed there and at 10.01, Ricardo left and I presumably believed that he left to bring the car around to put it in front Palm Court, that’s what he always does,” Khan explained.
“When he approached that vehicle and put that light on, they were alerted that the driver was coming and he was mowed down with a hail of bullets. No doubt at least 40 rounds were found. 25 at least hit his body,” he added.
‘Not fazed’
According to Khan, the suspected gateway car was parked at the scene for about 20 minutes before the shooting.
“…That car stayed there for 20 minutes. A stolen car, stolen plates with at least two men inside [who] had high calibre weapons…They weren’t fazed. They waited there for 20 minutes and they shot him at 10.01. Then they drove for 30 minutes. At 10.29, they turned off the East Bank junction. They drove from Palm Court for 28 minutes…..they drove from Palm Court all the way to the most popular and busiest highway in Guyana….didn’t encounter a single police patrol,” Khan stressed.
“Even though at the scene, police were there harassing witnesses in minutes and there was one state security vehicle that arrived there in seconds. Yet, no road block was erected all the way to East Bank,” he said before adding, “This car parked feet, yards away from the Prime Minister’s residence and the President’s residence. Over
40 high calibre rounds were fired killing this boy. That car drove all the way to the Soesdyke, yet, the police, Guyana Police Force, has not considered this crime a major crime investigation”.
The police yesterday also refuted the allegations that members of the force have been intimidating and harassing family members of Fagundes during the investigation.
Khan said it is a common practice for the police to erect roadblocks when such crimes occur. However, on the night in question, this wasn’t done. “…It did not happen that night. It did not happen on the East Bank and didn’t happen on the East Coast,” Khan noted.
Asked about this previously, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had told Stabroek News that he was informed that roadblocks were set up along the East Bank roadways. He declined to state at what locations.
However, Benn noted that there appeared to have been some “issues,” which included the transmission of information.
“I have been told that there were roadblocks set up but apparently it was a question of timing and information passing. There was an issue of what vehicle and where it was heading and so on… There was an issue of what they were looking for and all of that and all the usual traffic on the road,” Benn explained, while noting that some “reviews” were being undertaken.
Khan was deported to Guyana on September 20, 2019 after serving 10 years in a United States prison for drug trafficking. He has kept a relatively low profile since then.