Four individuals, Fiona Rodrigues, Ryan Mootoo, Emanuel Barker, Damien Benn are scheduled to appear in Georgetown Magistrate Court Room 1, on February 25 in front of Magistrate Ann McClennan to answer charges of Unlawful Wounding with Intent against well-known Guyanese businesswoman Ann Narine.
It is alleged that on January 5, 2019, at around 8:30 pm, Ms. Ann Narine was invited by her fiance to meet outside a residence in Blygezight Gardens to hand over some money. Ms. Narine, accompanied by a female friend drove to the location and upon seeing her fiance’s vehicle outside the building where the meeting was to take place, called her fiance’s name as she was standing in the street. Shortly before she had seen a young man, who was later identified as Damien Benn and she asked him if he knew where the owner of the vehicle (belonging to her fiance) was and he identified the house outside where the vehicle was parked.
Shortly after she called out her fiance’s name a man identified as Ryan Mootoo came out and said that her fiance would be with her in fifteen minutes and Ms. Narine responded, that she didn’t have 15 minutes to wait. Shortly thereafter Ms. Fiona Rodrigues and a man identified as Emanuel Barker (Fiona Rodrigues’ son) and Ryan Mootoo .ran out and attacked Ms. Narine and the bystander, Damien Benn joined in the attack. Ms. Narine alleges that her head was lacerated with a bottle that was inserted into her mouth. She was bitten, and was being dragged towards the house from which the assailants Rodrigues, Mootoo, and Barker emerged while Mootoo was saying “let us drag her inside and finish her off.”
Ms. Narine said that Fiona Rodrigues removed her bracelets, watch, and took her cell phone and a large sum of money, while the three men held her down and continued to beat her. Ms. Narine said that as she was being assaulted her friend jumped out of her vehicle which they had traveled to the scene, and tried to render assistance but was then also attacked. While the attention was focused on
Ms. Narine’s friend, Narine managed to get up and run towards her car, get it started, and began to drive away, she then realized that her friend was under attack and she reversed her vehicle towards the group. Fiona Rodrigues then ran towards the driver’s side of Ms. Narine’s car while Ms. Narine’s friend ran towards the passenger side and was able to scramble in. Fiona Rodrigues then delivered a few more blows on Ms. Narine as she and her friend sped e away from the scene with the attackers in hot pursuit. Ms. Narine said that she got to Sheriff Street near to the GuyOil gas station which it was well-lit and populated, and her attackers in pursuit turned around and fled.
Ms. Narine accounted that she went to Georgetown Hospital but it was crowded and was advised to go to Mercy Hospital where she was admitted and treated for her wounds that included bitemarks. The hospital staff took photos of her injuries and called the police. Ms. Narine was treated for multiple lacerations that required sutures, she was requested to remain in the hospital for observation but opted to leave in the company of friends.
Ms. Narine recounted that it took several calls and visits with members of the Guyana Police Force before the Commissioner of Police Mr. Leslie James on February 1, 2019, decided to charge the four accused.
Ms. Narine further stated that the friend who accompanied her on the night of the attack was charged by the police based on statements by the four accused.
NOTE: Fiona Rodrigues is the widow of controversial businessman Ricardo Ignatius Rodrigues who was executed by unknown assailants. Rodrigues was at one time linked to self-confessed drug dealer, Shaheed ‘Roger’ Khan who is serving a 14-year sentence in the United States of America.
