GDF Sergeant pleads guilty to $58M robbery at Kitty gold business, 2 others remanded
(From L-R Peon Lee, Keyon King and Delroy Jackson)
A serving member of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Tuesday afternoon pleaded guilty to his involvement in a $58 million broad daylight robbery at Wallison Enterprise at Gordon Street, Kitty, Georgetown which occurred last week Thursday.
GDF Sergeant Keyon 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 hauled before Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
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.
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 Da Silva of a cell phone valued at $60,000.
In court, Sergeant King pleaded guilty to robbing Lumes of $58 million in cash and gold, while he denied the other three charges. The GDF Sergeant will be sentenced later today.
Meanwhile, Jackson and Lee, who both had lawyers, pleaded not guilty to all four charges and were remanded to prison until August 24, 2021.
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. Two 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 Unit swooped down at a house on the West Coast of Demerara where the Guyana Defence Force rank resides.
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 even as the police are continuing their investigations.
