In a surprising turn of events, a well-known 24-year-old ‘cotton candy’ vendor has been arrested in connection with an incident that occurred at Marian Academy in Georgetown on Friday last.
The arrest followed a report made by a 12-year-old student and an 11-year-old student of the school who both encountered the vendor’s vehicle on the school premises.
According to a statement from the Guyana Police Force, the two students were waiting in the northern section of the Marian Academy compound around 15:15 hrs when they noticed a silver-coloured Toyota Fielder wagon with heavily tinted windows parked nearby.
The vehicle, driven by a male of African descent with braided hair, was accompanied by an unidentified female in the front passenger seat.
The 12-year-old student later told police that he saw the rear left window of the vehicle go down, and the male driver called him over.
The driver allegedly offered the boy cotton candy, but he declined.
The student also observed that cotton candy was visible in the back seat of the car.
The driver then reportedly asked the 12-year-old to ask the 11-year-old boy if he would like to buy cotton candy, to which the younger student also refused. Afterward, the vehicle left the area.
The boys took note of the vehicle’s number plate. Following the incident, the police launched an investigation, interviewing witnesses and gathering statements.
They were able to trace the vehicle’s registration.
Despite conducting checks at the listed address, neither the owner nor the vehicle was found. The police subsequently issued an all-station message requesting the vehicle and driver to be detained if located.
The situation came to a head on the evening of Thursday, November 7, when the 24-year-old cotton candy vendor, was arrested at the La Parfaite Harmonie Police Station.
He admitted to being the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident. He confirmed that the car belonged to his sister.
Police said he explained that he was visiting Marian Academy on the afternoon of November 1 to sell cotton candy to students waiting to be picked up by their parents.
However, he claimed that he did not stop the car or exit the vehicle because the school prohibits vendors from entering the compound. He stated that he had offered cotton candy to several children but made no sales before leaving the school and heading to another location to continue his vending activities.
The man’s girlfriend, a 22-year-old, was also in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
Following his arrest, police conducted a search of his home, where they discovered a quantity of cotton candy and equipment used for vending. Both the man and his girlfriend were taken into custody, and the vehicle was impounded.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and both individuals remain in police custody while further inquiries are made.
This report is based on a press release issued by the Guyana Police Force.
Editor’s Note: The Commissioner of Police has advised that the vendor was subsequently released from custody and the car was handed back to him. This came after questions were raised regarding the man’s arrest.
