Businessman in custody for Pearl vigilante shooting

By Leroy smith

An East Bank Demerara businessman is presently in custody for the vigilante style shooting on Saturday that claimed the life of 21-year-old Seon Clarke of Campbellville.

The News Room was reliably informed this morning that the businessman who is the holder of a shotgun was picked up by the police following information received.

While the police are awaiting a post-mortem of the young man’s body, initial investigations suggested that Clarke died as a result of the gunshot injury which is consistent with that of a wound inflicted from a shotgun.

According to reliable sources, the businessman who admitted to being at the scene on the night of the incident denied firing his weapon on that night, when questioned by the police. However, he told the ranks that he recently fired his weapon in the backlands. It is alleged that the businessman sensed the police would be testing his hands for gun powder residue, therefore he sought to confirm that he did fire his weapon recently, but not at the scene of the crime.

Clarke and his accomplice were reportedly seen acting in a suspicious manner in an East Bank Community early on Saturday after which residents of the community dealt them several lashes and shot Clarke. It is alleged that they attempted to rob a businessman a few villages away, prior to the incident which led to him raising an alarm after which they flee.

The police have since vowed to leave no stone unturned in finding the persons who were part of the mob that attacked the two young men.

Both the Head of State and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) have since condemned vigilantism urging residents to join Community Policing Groups.