Kaieteur News/Bagotstown executions...

Three charged for killing pressmen

‘Skinny' charged for 10 murders

•  Two accomplices combine for 13 more

Shackled as they made their way to court under maximum security, the three men accused of executing five Kaieteur News employees were all slapped with murder charges yesterday.

Jermaine Charles, called ‘Skinny,' was charged with 10 counts of murder, two counts of unlawful possession and one count of attempted murder.

His alleged accomplice, Dwight Da Silva, was slapped with seven murder charges, while Quincy Evans, called ‘Jimmy Dog,' was charged with six counts of murder.

It is alleged that between August 7 and August 13, the three murdered Mark Maikoo, Chetram ‘Boyo' Persaud, Richard Stewart, Eion Wegman and Shazim Mohamed at the Kaieteur News printery at Eccles, East Bank, Demerara.

The three reportedly pounced on the five pressmen, at about 22:10hrs, and allegedly shot each in the head before making good their escape.

Yesterday, the three were also charged for the murder of Bagotstown businessman Wosworth Grey.

According to reports, the men allegedly shot the businessman, at about 22:00hrs on August 8, in the vicinity of Bagotstown Public Road .

Da Silva and Jermaine Charles were jointly charged yesterday for the murder of Kaneville businessman Barbot Paul.

It is alleged that the two men shot Paul in his head, chest and right side, at about 21:00hrs on August 6 last.

The two reportedly took away the slain businessman's pistol along with several rounds of ammunition.

Jermaine Charles was also charged for the murder of 23-year-old Devon Charles, who was murdered at about 21:30 hrs on January 23 last.

It is alleged that he shot the Kaneville resident in an alley-way at Agricola.

According to reports, Devon Charles was talking with some friends when a white car pulled up.

Devon Charles reportedly ran into an alley, where Jermaine Charles allegedly pulled out a gun and shot him.

He died on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Additionally, Charles was charged yesterday for shooting to death Guyana Defence Force private Gilford Henry.

Henry, 24, was killed in the vicinity of the Agricola Public Road , at around 02:00 hrs, after Jermaine Charles reportedly attempted to rob the minibus in which he was a passenger.

It is alleged that Henry, who was shot in the jaw, was on his way to work when Jermaine Charles attacked.

He reportedly attempted to rob the conductor, but his efforts were futile, thus a round was fired.

The final murder charge that was read to Jermaine Charles yesterday was that of 12-year-old Kevin Brown, who was shot while exiting a bathroom at his stepfather's McDoom home.

Another man, Diego France, was charged for that murder, but yesterday Charles joined him on the charge.

Additionally, the 19-year-old was also charged for attempting to kill Brown's mother, Shondell Browne.

The 30-year-old woman was reportedly shot several times in her upper left side during a reported attack on her McDoom home on March 18 last. Police also slapped two unlawful-possession charges against Jermaine Charles yesterday.

It is alleged that on August 13 last, at a South Road hotel, Jermaine Charles had in his possession a .32 revolver and 29 rounds of matching ammunition. It is alleged that the said revolver was reportedly used in the execution that was carried out at the Kaieteur News printery on August 7.

Jermaine Charles pleaded not guilty to the unlawful possession charges.

“The police just come up to me and start beating me and seh that I had the gun. I don't know nothing bout that!” Jermaine Charles said.

The atmosphere around the Georgetown Magistrates' Court was very tense yesterday when the men appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan.

Armed policemen were stationed at the court when the men made their appearance. They were all remanded to prison until September 28.

Attorney-at-law Glenn Hanoman, who is representing Da Silva, however, requested an earlier date.

He told Magistrate Sullivan he did not see the necessity for such a long adjournment.

The lawyer also pointed out that his client is in urgent need of medical attention, since he was tortured while in police custody.

“I know it is a sensational matter, but Da Silva is complaining of severe injuries that were caused by torture at the hands of the police. High Court proceedings have been filed on his behalf,” Hanoman said. He noted that his client was tortured with blunt instruments and electrical shocks.

As if reinforcing his lawyer's point, Da Silva spat in a tissue and showed that he was indeed bleeding in his mouth.

“The police beat him and had him confess to every crime in Guyana…Whatever people's opinions are of them, they are still entitled to human rights…My client is even urinating blood…He is here because of confession evidence…The police want a long date so that all the bruising will fade away by then,” the lawyer said.

According to Hanoman, the state has been inhumane to his client.

He said that neither he nor his client has any confidence that the state is interested in his well-being.

Prosecutor, Inspector Maxine Graham, told the court that none of the men complained of any injuries while in custody.

She told the court that some of the matters have to be transferred to the Providence Magistrate's Court, since they happened in that district.

Inspector Graham added that the magistrate is currently on leave but is scheduled to return by October 5.

In regard to Da Silva's medical condition, Magistrate Sullivan ordered that he be examined by the medical personnel at the prison.

However, Hanoman was not very pleased with that decision, and told the magistrate that the medical personnel at the prison are not capable enough to make a proper diagnosis.

His application was overruled, and the matters were adjourned.

The three will return to the Providence Magistrate's Court on October 5, and at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court on September 28.

Quincy Evans, called ‘Jimmy Dog,' is represented by attorney-at-law Desmond Agard.

As the charges were being read to the men, several Kaieteur News employees and other members of the public poured into the courtroom to have a glimpse of them.

This newspaper's publisher, Glenn Lall, stood near the area where the men were, and listened to the charges.

As Lall entered the courtroom, an armed policeman stood between him and the accused. While the charges were being read, Lall, along with several employees, broke down in tears.

•  The men were all escorted to the Camp Street prison by heavily armed policemen.

Three more bank robbers killed

...5 more AK-47s, one Beretta SMG recovered

NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – Three more bank robbers were gunned down during an exchange of gunfire with the joint services yesterday up the Canje River .

And five more AK-47 assault rifles and a Beretta submachine pistol, along with 36 – 7.62x39 shells; one 3.57 shell; three AK-47 magazines; one Beretta magazine; a black toque-cum-mask; an ammunition belt; and four bags of money were also recovered.

Up to late yesterday afternoon, word was that the last two of the eight men the joint services had spotted were close to being captured.

A source told the Kaieteur News, “They (bank robbers) cannot move. Where would they go? They are in deep swamp. They dropped their weapons and tried to escape.”

Kaieteur News understands that, at about 02:30 hours, two of the three slain gunmen died following a confrontation. They had been sighted with two others in the swamp ever since last Sunday.

A source close to the joint services said that the army almost walked into an ambush. The source said that one of the men was keeping guard. He opened fire on the approaching ranks and effectively gave away their position.

The ranks returned fire, hitting him and another who tried to run away.

The army helicopter aided in the spotting and, yesterday, it continued to make several passes over that section of the Canje River where the bank robbers were believed to have made their escape.

When the first two bodies were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital mortuary, curious onlookers flocked the institution to get a glimpse of the men, one of whom was of Indian ancestry.

In the compound of the New Amsterdam Hospital , a toque-cum-mask, a jute bag and the remains of a cellular phone were lying on the ground. They had apparently fallen out of the truck which transported the bodies.

The unidentified man of Indian ancestry had on a watch that was still ticking as his lifeless body was placed in the truck to be taken to the funeral parlour. His mud-caked body was clad in a long-sleeved shirt, a pair of long trousers and what appeared to be a pair of military boots.

His colleague, of African ancestry, was wearing a jersey, long trousers and was barefooted. The third bank robber was killed yesterday afternoon, at around 18:00 hours, not far from where he and the others were spotted.

In the wee hours of Sunday morning, three other bank robbers were killed up the Canje River . They had staged a daring robbery at the Demerara and Republic Banks last Friday. During that incident, both customers and staff were held hostage as the gunmen relieved them of their possession. Outside, on the Rose Hall Public Road , ( Corentyne Highway ) other members of the gang used human beings as road blocks, making them to lie face down on the roadway.

The men fled the scene and made their way to the backlands. Later, on Friday, police intercepted what was suspected to be their getaway boat. The captain, Henry Lindie, and two others - Marlon Lepps and Terrence Azore - appeared before Chief Magistrate Cecil Sullivan yesterday charged with bank robbery.

Over the weekend, three AK-47 assault rifles, an M 70 rifle, a quantity of ammunition and magazines, plus approximately three jute bags of cash, were recovered in the backlands.

The first three of the bank robbers to be killed were identified as 28-year-old Abu R. Mendonca called ‘Toe' and ‘Li'l Man' of Kildonan Village, Corentyne; Fitzgerald Khoulen, 25, of Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge and also of Annandale, and Damien Campbell, 23, also of Joseph Pollydore Street, Lodge and of B Field, South Sophia.