Last year, Shridat Ramphal (the architect of election rigging in Guyana and the man who restricted Indians' right to vote in Guyana) was honored and later in the year was also given the prestigious Indira Gandhi Peace Prize worth nearly a quarter million dollars; he and his wife were treated royally in Delhi during their two trips while Indians are still suffering from Ramphal's misdeeds.

Vishnu Bisram

Bandit shoot Canje couple

•  cops hold two suspects

CANEFIELD, EAST CANJE – A robbery in Canje on Wednesday night ended with a businessman and his wife being shot, and the bandits trading gunfire with police.

In the wake of the robbery, the police recovered what was suspected to be the getaway car yesterday. The vehicle had fake number plates. They also arrested a teen and his older brother.

Vicky Ishwanana, a 39-year-old shop proprietor, is now a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital . He was shot in the region of the groin after he put up a struggle.

His wife, 44-year-old Farida Samad, was shot on her left hand. She was treated at the same hospital and sent away.

According to the Berbice police, the incident occurred about 18:45hrs Wednesday. Four masked men who were armed with three guns and a knife entered the business place. Farida Samad was in the shop. The business place adjoins their living quarters in the one- flat building.

The shop is heavily grilled and as such the men could not enter.

Police reports state that one of the men pointed a gun at the woman and ordered her to hand over the cash and jewellery.

She refused and ran from the shop towards their living quarters. The gunman discharged one round in her direction and hit her.

As this was taking place, her husband was at the mercy of another bandit who held him at gun point. He took away Ishwanana's gold band valued at $40,000.

After the men failed to gain entry to the building, they discharged several other rounds and then fled the scene.

While the men were carrying out their act, Farida Samad placed a telephone call to the Reliance Police Station. A mobile patrol in the area responded. Three spent shells were retrieved from the scene.

It was just a few minutes later that police, acting on a tip off, went to Reliance where they found a white car without a license plate parked in one of the streets.

As police approached, the occupants reportedly opened fired. The police responded and the vehicle drove away.

A chase ensued but police were unable to follow for long due to road barriers erected by the Neighbourhood Democratic Council in the street.

A short while later, the car apparently crashed into a culvert.

Police in B Division erected road blocks at strategic points in both East and West Berbice shortly after the incident.

Police reports yesterday stated that on Thursday, a car was found in Rose Hall, East Canje .

The vehicle, a white Nissan Bluebird, bore the number HA 4678. On the front windscreen the number PCC 5020 was inscribed.

It also had two bullet holes on the left front door and three on the right front door. The back wheel was punctured.

According to police, PCC 5020 is registered to a man on East Bank Demerara and HA 4678 to a man in East Canje .

Late yesterday afternoon, a man and his 16-year-old brother were accompanied by their lawyer when they turned themselves in to police. The teen is employed by a television station in New Amsterdam .

According to police, the teen told them he learnt that they (police) were searching for the car and that his brother was in the vehicle with him the night of the incident.

This move came in the wake of action by the police who, based on information received, searched the home of the teen and allegedly found four toy guns. A police source said that the toys bear a strong resemblance to real guns.

Up to press time they remained in police custody.

Investigations continue and police are working on a number of leads.