HGP Nightly News – Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and two other men are in police custody after a shooting incident late Monday night near the Kitty home of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch.
Police say the incident happened around 11:45 p.m. on Barr Street, Kitty. According to the police account, Narine was at home when he saw a black Toyota Allion, PXX 5300, moving slowly along the street. The car passed his house and came back a short time later.
Police say that on the second pass, Narine heard what appeared to be a gunshot. He took cover and fired several rounds from his service weapon toward the car, which then drove off.
The vehicle was later stopped at the junction of Vlissengen Road and Sandy Babb Street. Inside were Mohamed, 39, of Houston, East Bank Demerara; Mario Mohamed, 25, of Timehri; and driver Eugene Thorne, 35, also of Timehri. All three were taken to the Kitty Police Station.
Police say a search of the car, done in the men’s presence, turned up a .32 Taurus pistol with no serial number and three live .32 rounds. The three were then arrested for possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.
Investigators recovered one .32 spent shell on the southern side of Barr Street, across from the house, along with four 9mm spent shells. The items have been sent for ballistic testing. Police also plan to review CCTV footage from the area.
The case is being investigated as discharging a loaded firearm with intent and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
Mohamed tells a very different story. He denies any link to the pistol and alleges it was planted by Narine and his officers while the men were being taken to the station. He also claims Narine fired more shots at the vehicle during the arrest and that he was assaulted.
Mohamed says he and his companions were in the area to film what he describes as a heavy police security presence at Narine’s private home, which he calls a waste of state resources.
Narine is a key witness in the ongoing US extradition proceedings against Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed. Under cross-examination last month, Narine acknowledged that Mohamed had never been arrested, interviewed or charged over several alleged killings raised in his testimony.
The three men remain in custody as investigations continue.
