By Bibi Khatoon
“The cars, they all slowed down to take a look at what was going on, they were all gawking, and you nobody did anything.”
Those were the words of 66-year-old businesswoman, Ryhaan Shah who was the victim of a broad daylight robbery on Saturday, November 04 at approximately 13:20hrs.
Shah is one of 18 persons, nominated for the post of Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.
She resides at Irving Street, Georgetown, and was robbed of her car and other valuables at gunpoint as she was about to open her gate to enter her yard.
Shah related that she had just exited the car, a silver-grey Toyota Allion bearing Registration Number PLL 1127 when someone suddenly scrambled her hand and reached for the keys.
“There were three of them. He threw the key to an accomplice, and they opened the car door and they jumped in the car…the one holding me had a gun,” Shah told News Room during an interview at her home on Sunday, November 5, 2017.
Shah believes that it was not “just an opportunity that they saw,” but something which was planned. She said it is possible that she was being followed for some time by the suspects who eventually saw her as vulnerable and noted her time of leaving and returning home.
A neighbor, who observed what occurred, called 911 and took the woman to the Alberttown Police Station where a report was made. However, Shah related that the Sergeant on duty wanted to visit the scene but had no vehicle to do so and he was transported to her home via the neighbour’s car who then took him back to the Police Station.
As such, she raised the issue of the police not having adequate resources to conduct their duties.
Still shocked by what transpired, the woman said she was robbed a year ago of her handbag at the same location. Police said an investigation is in progress but Shah said she is waiting to be contacted by the police for any further details on their findings.
She is also urging that more be done to combat crime.
“The fact that they can do that in the middle of the day on a busy road in the middle of the day and get away with it,” is alarming she said, adding that there are many persons who are being robbed daily and this is expected to increase with the nearing Christmas season.
In addition to losing her $4M car, Shah also lost her Blu cellular phone valued $10,000, G$15,000 in cash, groceries, and documents, including her driver’s license and national identification card. No one has been arrested and the car has not been found.
