Kitty killings:
Man with AK-47 mowed down Natoo's
bar - witness
Friday, September 27, 2002
Wednesday night's massacre at Natoo's Liquor Store in Kitty was committed by a single gunman, according to an eyewitness to the mayhem.
The eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, told Stabroek News
yesterday that at about 7:00 pm on Wednesday, a white car pulled up at the Pike
Street drinking parlour, which was frequented by "top" officials.
The witness said the passenger got out and entered the bar
with an AK-47 rifle. Before anyone had time to react, the gunman opened
fire "and weeded down the whole place, firing indiscriminately moving the
gun from side to side."
AK-47 rifle
According to the witness, everybody hit the ground. The gunman
then returned to the car, which pulled off swiftly with screeching tyres. The
witness said at no point did the driver get out of the vehicle. The driver, the
witness said, remained at the wheel, with the engine running.
Stabroek News understands that Joy Arjune, a former employee
of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company Ltd, her brother, Lloyd
Singh and others were sitting at the front table near the door. The witness said
the siblings and their company were in the direct line of fire.
DEAD
Neither Arjune nor Singh survived the tragedy. Two other persons, identified as
motor racer Gavin Naraine, 42, and Customs Broker Fazeer Baksh, 20, also lost
their lives.
A number of persons, including Director of Public
Prosecutions, Denis Hanoman Singh, whom other sources said, seemed to have been
the target, were wounded. Hanomansingh was with a group at the bar, directly
behind Arjune's table.
Both the Minister of Home Affairs and the Guyana Bar
Association yesterday condemned that shooting, as well as another that occurred
about five minutes prior on the same night, in which 19-year-old Delroy Gomes
was murdered.
According to the association, "violence in the society
has long reached unprecedented levels and threatens the very existence of the
rule of law. The inability of the country's security system in its present state
to contain, much less overcome this new level of violence is a matter for the
most urgent national concern. "We are consistent in our belief that an
effective response to this situation demands a national consensus on the
creation of a proper and efficient security system operating professionally and
properly trained equipped and paid."
Further, the GBA offered its support in the participation of
any non-partisan national effort to review the security environment, which would
include the taking of adequate measures to deal with the problem.
Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj (right)
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj in a strongly
worded statement in parliament yesterday said the two grave and grievous
incidents which occurred on Wednesday evening were a direct consequence of the
February 23 prison break which saw five dangerous felons being let loose on
society. According to the minister, "Wednesday's incidents were
particularly callous, daring in their commitment and represent utter disregard
for the human rights and lives of our citizens going about their normal
business."
The violence, particularly of Wednesday, he noted, like all
the incidents, especially those during the present crime-infested period,
"have stirred feelings of anger and well-founded cause for firmer actions
by the appropriate authorities and in which law-abiding citizens from all walks
of life show a willingness to assist."
According to Gajraj, "this is undoubtedly one of the more
serious incidents experienced since February. And has heightened the fear and
anxiety our law abiding citizens, particularly in certain geographical areas and
communities of our country."
