Ex- GDF Sergeant gets three years in jail for $58 million Kitty gold heist
Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Sergeant Keyon King was on Friday sentenced to three years imprisonment after pleading guilty to his involvement in a multimillion-dollar robbery that occurred on August 5 at Wallison Enterprise at Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown.
King was sentenced by Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts moments ago. King had pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery under-arms last month. He was remanded to prison pending sentencing which was deferred to facilitate a probation report.
King served in the Guyana Defence Force for 15 years. King told the magistrate that his reason for committing the robbery was because he was denied a promotion and demoted. He further went on to tell the court that he is the sole breadwinner for his family and struggled to save money to build a house.
In the end, he apologized to his family and the Guyana Defence Force for his wrongdoings.
On August 10, last, King, 32, of Vergenogen, East Bank Essequibo and the business’ two security officers Peon Lee called ‘Nino Brown’, 36, of Eccles, East Bank Demerara and Delroy Jackson called ‘Bug’, 36, of Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara were charged with four counts of robbery under-arms.
It is alleged that while being armed with guns and in the company of each other, they robbed Francis Santos Lumes of 60 ounces of raw gold valued at $20 million and $38 million in cash– all totaling $58M.
It is further alleged that the men while being armed with guns, and in the company of each other and others robbed Fernanda Carmicheal of a cell phone worth $350,000.
It is further alleged that the men while being armed with guns, and in the company of each other and others robbed Francis Santos Lumes of a gold chain valued at 140,000, a gold ring valued at $60,000, and $14,000 in cash- all totaling $214,000. And finally, it is alleged that the men while being armed with guns, and in the company of each other and others robbed William Dasilva of a cell phone valued at $60,000.
According to information on the day in question, three mask-wearing, gun-toting men escaped with $38 million in cash and some $20 million worth of gold from Wallison Enterprise. Surveillance videos showed the men entering the establishment at different times. The first man seemed to have been conducting business while two persons entered shortly after each other, seemingly to also conduct business.
The Police said the men arrived in a white car which was parked north of the building. The men told the security they were there to “sell gold.” The men entered the waiting area where they spoke to the cashier and showed her a small package which they claimed contained gold to sell, the Police said.
“Immediately after they drew their firearms from their pants’ waist, pointed it at her and ordered her into an office where the money and gold were secured. At the time the other victim and another man were in the said office and they were held at gunpoint,” a Police statement read.
The staffers were handcuffed with plastic straps, the Police said as the men then relieved them of their phones, the money, and gold. The men then made good their escape. The security guards working at the establishment were then arrested.
However, on August 8, last, one of the security guards confessed to being part of the robbery which led to the arrest of the other two accomplices. Ranks from the Guyana Police Force Major Crimes Investigations Unit swooped down at a house on the West Coast of Demerara where King lived.
A search then unearthed millions of dollars buried in the yard. The cash was secured in a bucket and wrapped with black garbage bags. The Police also conducted operations in Sophia. A manhunt has been launched for other players involved in the robbery as the Police are continuing their investigations.
