A security guard was found dead at his place of work in Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice on Saturday night moments before it was discovered that the store had been burglarised and approximately $1.5 million in cash was stolen.
The dead man has been identified as Munisperen Iyasammy Monien, 53, of Lot 45 Clifton, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Monien’s battered body was discovered in a pool of blood in a storeroom at Sukhram’s General Store at Lot 13 Public Road, Rose Hall Town. His throat was reportedly slit.
Investigators believe that Monien was murdered between 19:00hrs and 20:00hrs on Saturday.
This publication was told that when the store was closed on Saturday afternoon, between $1.5 million and $2 million in cash was locked in a drawer inside.
The owners of the store are overseas, and the manager who lives nearby has since been taken into custody.
Reports indicate that when the building was checked, several locks were open and it is believed that the locks were left open on Saturday as the business was closed.
Investigators are working on the theory that the perpetrator/s gained entry to the yard, which is secured by the high concrete fence, by climbing through a gap in the back fence of the otherwise well-secured premises
Meanwhile, this publication was informed that Monien had reported on Wednesday evening, that someone was attempting to gain entry.
The now dead security guard had reported that he was able to identify the person who had placed an old refrigerator next to the fence and was in the process of climbing over the fence when an alarm was raised.
The following day, he gave a statement to the police to that effect.
The suspect, who lives a street away, was arrested on Sunday morning as investigators probed the murder. Police also arrested the parents of the suspect.
As the investigation intensified and it was discovered that doors to the back of the upper flat of the building were not properly secured, all of the employees, including the store manager, were taken into custody.
Investigations are ongoing. (Andrew Carmichael)
