In a startling turn of events, a man who guided law enforcement officers to a wounding incident in Tapakuma village, Essequibo coast, has now become a person of interest after an unlicensed shotgun was discovered hidden in nearby bushes.
The irony unfolded on Sunday at approximately 15:18hrs when officers from Regional Police Division No. 2 responded to a distress call reporting the incident.
According to authorities, the officers embarked on a journey into the remote back dam, situated three miles west of the Tapakuma playfield, utilizing a tractor for transportation. As they arrived at the scene, they encountered David Courtman, a 20-year-old Sawman from Tapakuma village, approaching them. Courtman wasted no time in informing the officers that his brother, Samuel, and another individual named Vinod Benjamin, a 30-year-old Mason, had engaged in a physical altercation over a sack of cement.
Displaying a willingness to cooperate, Courtman led the officers to Vinod’s residence, where they made contact with the 30-year-old mason. Vinod confirmed the earlier scuffle with Samuel, disclosing that the fight had escalated to the point where they both fell to the ground, resulting in Samuel sustaining a head wound. As a result, Vinod was promptly apprehended on suspicion of wounding.
During the process of escorting Vinod out of Tapakuma, he made a surprising claim to the arresting officers. Vinod alleged that David Courtman had repeatedly threatened him with a firearm. Intrigued by this revelation, the police officers turned their attention to Courtman, subjecting him to a series of inquiries regarding the allegations. While Courtman denied any involvement in the threats, the officers proceeded to question him about the presence of a firearm in his possession.
In an unexpected twist, Courtman admitted to owning a firearm but acknowledged that he lacked the necessary licenCe to carry it. Acting on this information, Courtman pointed the officers towards a cluster of bushes in the nearby area. Following his guidance, the police discovered an unloaded 12-gauge shotgun concealed within the foliage. Notably, the serial number of the firearm had been tampered with.
Authorities have seized the unlicensed shotgun and have taken it into custody as evidence. The investigation is ongoing.
