Gunmen shoot Venezuelan national, Guyanese at Parika

 

• Friend feared kidnapped

 

Masked gunmen staged a daring attack on a speedboat crew at Parika yesterday, shooting a Venezuelan national and a Guyanese, and reportedly kidnapping a third man.

The abducted man was reportedly taken away in a twin-engine speedboat that was stolen from the crew.

Sherome Harka, 38, of Zorg, Essequibo Coast , was shot in the right arm and back at around 11:30 hrs, while a Venezuelan companion, identified only as ‘Green Eye' was wounded in the upper arm.

Harka was being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital , while the Venezuelan was said to be in police custody.

Police said a third man, identified as Deonarine Prabulall called ‘Davo', of Parika, was missing and was feared abducted.

The gunmen also made off with a large, two-engine speedboat in which the trio had been travelling.

Police said that the men were heading for Port Kaituma, North West District, when they were attacked.

According to the police, the men were in the vicinity of Shairaz Wharf , Parika, when four men in a small wooden boat drew near and opened fire, wounding the crewmen.

Two of the gunmen reportedly entered the speedboat and headed for Leguan, where they dumped Harka into their boat, while leaving the Venezuelan on the beach.

The gunmen then abandoned their smaller vessel, while escaping in their victims' larger vessel.

Kaieteur News managed to speak with Harka shortly after he arrived at the Georgetown Hospital .

“At around 11:30 me, ‘Green Eye' and Davo de coming from Essequibo and just as we going to tie up de boat at Shairaz wharf, two men drive up in another boat at de side and start shooting at we.

“Den one a dem come over in we boat and throw me and ‘Green Eye' out and drive away with Davo.”

Meanwhile, Davo's anxious relatives who flocked the hospital seeking word of him yesterday told this newspaper that Davo owns a mechanic shop and had just finished servicing the boat and had taken it for a trial run.

They said he had stopped at the wharf for fuel when the gunmen confronted him.

The relatives said they spoke to the Venezuelan at the Parika Station, and that he had his account of the incident.

“Green Eye seh dem de coming from Essequibo and de stop at the gas station when a boat with three men drive up and start shooting, so dem had to stop. He seh when dey stop de gunmen come over in dem boat and put dem fuh lie down.”

They related that after some time, the gunmen threw ‘Green Eye' and Harka on a sand bank.

“He seh he see when dem drive away with ‘Davo',” a relative said.

According to reports the two were subsequently rescued by a passing fishing vessel and taken to a beach in Leguan. They were then transported to the Leguan Police Station, where ranks escorted them to Parika Police Station.

Harka was then transported to the Georgetown Hospital where his condition is listed as critical but stable.