A man, who is wanted for the 2021 murder of a mechanic in Sophia, Georgetown, was arrested with a firearm and matching ammunition by police in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
John Kennedy called ‘Big John’, a 39-year-old farmer of lot 751 Field 8, Section B, Sophia was arrested this morning (Sunday, June 11, 2023) by police on mobile patrol duty.
According to reports from the police in Region Six, ranks were on patrol duty when they stopped the suspect sometime around 10:00h in the vicinity of Main and Church Street, New Amsterdam, and conducted a search on him.
During the search, the officers unearthed one 9MM pistol with no serial number along with 15 9mm live rounds of ammunition.
The man was told of the offence committed, cautioned and taken into custody.
However, this publication was told that at the time of his arrest, the suspect told the police that his name is Mark Brown and give his address as lot 80 Rose Hall, Corentyne.
It was not until after he was processed for the offence of possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition that it was discovered that he is already wanted by the Police Force for murder.
Kennedy has been wanted by the police since August 2021 for questioning in to the murder of Jaleel Leow.
Leow, a 21-year-old mechanic of Dennis Street, Campbellville, Georgetown was gunned down on August 2, 2021.
Police had reported that the incident occurred at around 17:50hrs while the young man was hanging out with a group of people at ‘B’ Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
According to the Police, Leow was liming with a female shopkeeper and several other mechanics at the woman’s house when they were approached by two suspects – identified only as “Big John” or “Double Clip” and “Brainer” at the time.
The group were heading into the woman’s yard when one of the suspects, ‘Big John’, pulled out a handgun from the waist of his pants, walked up to the Leow as he was walking into the yard, and discharged two rounds which struck him to his upper back. The young man fell to the ground and the gunman discharged two more rounds which hit him in his upper chest.
The injured Leow got up and ran to the back of the yard where he collapsed.
The shooter then fired another shot at another man from the group, who was standing by the roadside. However, the bullet just grazed him on his right upper hand.
The shooter and his accomplice then mounted their bicycles and made good their escape.
Days later on August 10, 2021, the police issued a wanted bulletin for Kenndy’s arrest in relation to Leow’s murder.
