Suspected chicken smuggler Harrielall Motilall called ”Jinga Harry,” who was in 2016 charged in absentia and sentenced to four years in prison for shooting at two GRA officers, was yesterday charged for having in his possession components of a firearm without a license.
The 60-year-old businessman of lot 11-12 Helena#1, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, was arrested on September 15, 2020. He made an appearance yesterday at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Courts before Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
Motilall pleaded not guilty to the charge and was placed on $100,000 bail. His matter was adjourned to October 16, 2020, and transferred to the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court for report.
In June of 2018, in a bid to capture Motilall, two officials from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) received gunshot wounds to their hands when a group of men in two vehicles opened fire on them at a house in Bee Hive, East Coast Demerara.
The enforcement officers were at the time looking for a suspected smuggler identified as Harilall Motielall, called “Jinga Harry.”
The injured ranks were Roopnarine Singh, 35, and Ricky Chowboy, 55. They were both treated at a private hospital and sent away.
According to information received, a group of GRA officers went to a property in Bee Hive to inquire about Motielall’s whereabouts, and during this process, two vehicles pulled up in front of the property, and its occupants began discharging rounds at the enforcement officers.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that the officers adapted tactical positions and returned fire, but the vehicles sped away. No arrest has been made so far. This is not the first time that Motielall has found himself in hot water.
In fact, he was charged in absentia (without being present in court) in 2016 and sentenced to four years in prison. He was sentenced two years after he was accused of shooting at GRA officers on the night of July 16, 2014, when they intercepted a convoy of minibuses loaded with illegally imported chicken at Dundee, Mahaicony. It was also reported that during that altercation, Motielall and others, using an AK-47 and other small arms, would have opened fire on the Customs Officers, injuring one of them.
