Gunmen attack Yuppies Depot

- businessman feels it was an execution attempt

 

Police are hunting for four men who attacked Yuppies Depot on High Street in what is being described as an attempt to execute businessman Faizal Alli and his family.

The brazen attack, which occurred around 13:30hrs yesterday, sent several persons running for cover as the gunmen fired several shots while fleeing the scene.

The men had stormed the depot pointing a gun at Maimoon Alli, the proprietor's wife who was operating as the cashier.

One of the gunmen discharged a round at the woman after she had slammed the door of the cashier booth, squeezing his hand.

They then fired several shots as the businessman Faizal Alli and his son responded to the first gunshot.

The proprietor of the grocery outlet believes that the attack stemmed from a threat he received from a former policeman early yesterday morning.

Alli told Kaieteur News that around 09:45hrs, he and his son, who operates a taxi service, had confronted a taxi driver who had owed a fee for using their base.

The man had also kept possession of a hand held radio set which the businessman's son had loaned him.

According to Alli, when they asked the taxi driver for the set, the man told them that he does not have it.

“I asked him for some sort of security and he gave me a DVD player. He later asked back for it, but I refused to give it back until he compensated me for the radio set,” Alli told this newspaper.

He said the man, a former traffic rank attached to the Brickdam Police Station, became angry and threatened to kill him and his family.

“He said that he has family in Buxton and he could get them to ‘done de dance'”, Alli explained.

He said he subsequently left and went to Plaisance and while there, he got a call from his wife who told him that the former cop had turned up at his place of business making threats.

He advised his wife to go to the Brickdam Police Station which she did.

Alli said that while his wife was giving a statement to the police, one of the investigating ranks angrily accused her of lying.

“They started to mock my wife,” Alli said.

Two hours later, four men armed with guns turned up at Alli's High Street business.

“I was inside, but I heard that one of them slapped one of the workers and told her to shut her mouth. He then went to my wife and pointed a gun at her. She shut the door squeezing his hand and a round from his gun went off, hitting the concrete wall,” Alli stated.

He said when he ran outside upon hearing the gunshot, the gunman who was struggling with his wife turned towards him and he was forced to retreat.

The gunmen then discharged several rounds as they fled towards the St. Phillips Green area.

The businessman who is a licensed firearm holder, was not armed at the time of the attack.

“This is no robbery,” he said, stressing that the former cop is responsible for the attack. “He carried out his threat today. They did not take any money,” the businessman told Kaieteur News.

A spent shell

Police arrived on the scene about 30 minutes after the incident and recovered a spent shell and a few live rounds, which reportedly came from the gunmen's weapons.

Friday 06-24-2005