Patrol under fire in Friendship, illegal airstrip suspect, British mule excretes cocaine, NOC escapees, Frederick Whyte murder
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE
Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown
Tel: 225-5401 or 227-2685
PRO: 2/1 December 29, 2007
News Editors,
PRESS RELEASE
About 1115h. today Saturday December 29, 2007, ranks of a police mobile patrol came under fire from a group of six men armed with firearms at Friendship Road over the Railway Embankment at Friendship, East Coast Demerara..
The police ranks were at the time responding to a report of larceny of six cows made today at the Vigilance Police Station by a resident of Strathspey, East Coast Demerara.
The police ranks were proceeding south along the Friendship Road when in the vicinity of the Pond Dam area, they came under fire from the six men who were armed with AK 47 rifles and shotguns. After discharging the rounds at the police ranks, the armed men ran further south into the canefields.
The ranks called for back up and members of a Tactical Services Unit (TSU) patrol that was on the East Coast of Demerara responded, but the police were unable to locate the armed men.
No rank was injured.
The Guyana Police Force wishes to express its concern that even when ranks are responding to routine reports in the southern section of Buxton, the ranks cannot proceed in a normal manner because of the danger of being engaged by armed men hiding out in the backlands of Buxton.
(2)
Following up with investigations into the recent incident involving the illegal airstrip, and the burnt aircraft and bulldozer in the Orealla area, Berbice, the police have managed to identify and locate a suspect who is believed to have transported the bulldozer to the area.
He is in police custody and is currently being questioned.
(3)
Further to press release made earlier today in relation to the six juveniles who escaped from the NOC, Essequibo, the police is calling on their parents and relatives to hand over the escapees to the police should they come into contact with them; and is also advising them that it is an offence under the law to harbour a person wanted by the police.
(4)
On December 24, 2007, ranks of the police narcotics branch at the CJIA arrested a 25 years old British student who was suspected to have ingested narcotics after observing his activities.
He was taken to the GPHC where he was placed under guard and monitored.
Unto yesterday, he had excreted 40 pellets containing cocaine with a total weight of 485 grams.
He is expected to appear in court on Monday December 31, 2007.
(5)
Yesterday, Friday December 28, 2007, the police arrested the sister-in-law of Frederick Whyte, 65 years of Cottage, WCB, who is suspected to have died on December 23, 2007 as a result of stab wounds received on December 15, 2007.
Frederick Whyte, who was bed-ridden, was allegedly stabbed with a knife in his chest and abdomen by the suspect who is believed to be mentally unstable. He received medical attention and was sent home where he later died.
The matter was not reported to the police who, acting on information received yesterday, went to the mortuary at the Fort Wellington Hospital where they seized Whyte’s body and arrested the suspect.
A knife suspected to have been used by the suspect has been recovered by the police.
A PME is expected to be performed on Frederick Whyte’s body on Monday next.
Ivelaw Whittaker
Public Relations and Press Officer
