The cop fingered in the disappearance of money recovered after the robbery of a Berbice rice farmer Monday, remained under close arrest yesterday as the Police Force conducted an internal probe, an official said.

The Guyana Chronicle was informed by a reliable source that a senior police officer from the Office of Professional Responsibilities in Georgetown was, within the last 48 hours, dispatched to Berbice to conduct internal investigations.

The money went missing after bandits attacked and robbed rice farmer, Premkarran Karran and others at his home on Lewis Manor Road, Number 19 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Following the alleged disappearance of the money from a bag which one of the bandits who was shot dead had dropped, a police rank on the scene was placed under close arrest.

Relatives of the businessman said the bandit who was shot and killed, had grabbed a bag from the Karrans, in which they had Euros 300, US$1,200, and G$150,000, but dropped it after he was shot during a scuffle with the rice farmer.

Stolen Euros 300, US$1,200, and G$150,000,

However, when cops arrived at the scene, a rank was allegedly seen removing the bag, taking it to a police vehicle parked outside.

According to a witness, the bag was returned after it was emptied. The source said other cops were notified and the rank was later taken into custody.

The dead gang member was identified as Corbin Cort, called Quacy, of Fyrish Village, on the Corentyne. Investigators said he was shot in the left abdomen with the bullet exiting the right lower back.

He tried to flee from the robbery scene but collapsed and died there.

Cort was in the armed six-member gang that broke into the home of the farmer around 01:15h Monday while the family was asleep.

They demanded cash and jewellery, and fired several rounds in the house, during which Karran's wife, Kaleshwarie Karran, was hit in her left upper back, police said.

Mrs. Karran was said to be in stable condition in hospital.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007