East Bank businessman shot dead
By Samantha Alleyne
A Little Diamond businessman was shot dead last night and an employee chopped on his ear by bandits who escaped with $20,000 from the restaurant and liquor store.
Dead is Genda Kenneth Sookdeo also called `Shines', 47, of 54 Second Street, Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara. He was shot once in the right side of his chest.
According to reports reaching Stabroek News, the man, who is the owner of a restaurant and liquor store, was attacked by three bandits, two of whom carried guns while the other was armed with a chopper.
The incident happened at around 8:30 pm and the man arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) at 9:57 pm and was pronounced dead on arrival. An employee who was with him and who was chopped on the left ear refused treatment after hearing the news of his employer's demise.
According to grieving relatives of the dead man, Sookdeo was in the shop with his thirteen-year-old son, Avinash.
Some of his employees and some friends were also in the shop at the time. Stabroek News was told that the businessman was just about to lock up his shop when the bandits struck.
The three men approached the shop gate, which was already closed but not padlocked, and asked for a packet of cigarettes which was sold to them by the son.
The men asked for a light and it was when the boy was returning with the lighter that the men opened the gate and entered the yard.
They immediately made the men in the shop lie on the ground while the bandit with the chopper dealt some of them lashes, chopping the employee in the process.
"Two of dem had gun and when deh tell all awe to lie down on the ground the next one with the gun fire a shot in the ground and tell we if anybody want fo fight back deh go shoot we..." one man told Stabroek News.
He said by this time the third bandit was already in the shop and they heard a single shot. The man said that the men had chucked the thirteen-year-old out of the way before getting to the businessman.
From all indications, the third bandit who went into the shop might have had a scuffle with the businessman before he fired the fatal bullet.
"When he shoot he, he come out and run over all a we lying down on the ground and then he turn back and run over we again and pull out the drawer in the bar and tek all the money."
The man and his accomplices then sprinted out of the yard and from further reports they escaped into the village without the assistance of a vehicle.
The men said that persons in the neighbourhood recalled seeing the attackers walking around the village earlier.
Relatives said Sookdeo and his son were the only persons living in his home as his wife and a daughter are now residing in Trinidad while his eldest daughter is in Canada. The businessman has been operating the shop for years and had never been robbed before last night.
Sookdeo's death followed those of three others on Mon-day when gunmen opened fire on a shop in Albouystown.