Murder of ‘Paper Shorts’: ‘Killa’ released from police custody without charge

Following a Habeas Corpus Writ served on the Guyana Police Force on Friday, 40-year-old Rondell Bacchus aka “Killa” was released from custody after being held for more than 72 hours, as the police probe the murder of Ricardo “Paper Shorts” Fagundes.

A statement from Police Headquarters noted that he was released on “substantial bail and will be required to report to the police on specified days as the probe continues.”

The News Room understands that the bail was set at $100,000. The police also alleged that while Bacchus was being escorted from the Brickdam, Georgetown lockups by the police, he maliciously damaged a police vehicle for which he has been charged and will appear in court on April 12, 2021.

Bacchus surrendered to the police on April 6, 2021, just a few hours after the police issued a wanted bulletin for him.

The News Room understands that Bacchus, who was serving a five-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter, was released early from the penitentiary with only a few more months of his sentence left to serve. He was charged in May 2019 with the July 2008 murder of scrap metal dealer Akbar Alli.

Fagundes, who was a popular gold dealer and biker, was riddled with bullets on March 21, 2021, on Main Street, Georgetown, moments after he exited the Palm Court nightclub.

CCTV footage on the night of the incident showed Fagundes walking towards a black vehicle after exiting the nightclub when two gunmen jumped out of a parked white fielder across the road and opened fire on him.

Fagundes was seen lying on the roadway as the two men stood over him and riddled his body with bullets before escaping in the waiting car.

Police are yet to determine whether a burnt fielder wagon, which was discovered in Swan Village, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, is the same one used by the gunmen.