Two held in 'Rambo' killing

ATTACKED: The premises of slain businessman Lakeram McKenzie
POLICE yesterday reported they had held two men for questioning into the brutal slaying Tuesday night of businessman Lakeram McKenzie called ‘Rambo’, 45, of 264 Section ‘C’ Enterprise, East Coast Demerara.

He was shot and killed at about 19:00 h when six armed men, four of them masked, attacked the family at home, Police said.

McKenzie was taken out of the house and shot after the gang forced the family to hand over cash and jewellery and died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).


Police said, at the scene, they found eight 7.62x39 spent shells, one live 7.62x39 round and one magazine for a Beretta.


The back windscreen of the man’s car in the yard was smashed.

Police yesterday continued checks at the house in their probe with armed ranks standing by.

The wife and children of the slain businessman abandoned the house after the slaying and are staying with relatives.

AT THE SCENE: Police leaving the residence.
Those surviving the half hour attack were his daughter, Angeleena, 11, son Nicolas, eight, and wife Chandroutie McKenzie, also known as Seeta.

The children said the gang entered their home from the nearby sea wall about 18:30 h, ordered them and their father to lie face down on the floor and demanded cash and jewellery.

They said their mother was in the bathroom when the men struck and after hearing their demands, she came out and was also ordered to lie face down.

When the bandits invaded the house they began shouting when they saw their father: “You is the Rambo! You is the Rambo!”, the daughter said.

Residents said the gang were all young persons and one of them appeared to be about 14 years old.

One of the men, they said, kept guard at the back of the yard and another was at the front while four went into the building.

The children said that before dragging their father downstairs, the men had threatened to kill them if they did not get the cash and valuables they demanded.

After McKenzie was taken outside, eight shots rang out and his wife went to look for him but could not locate him and began screaming for help thinking he had been kidnapped.

However, a relative who rushed over showed her where her husband lay bleeding profusely and he was rushed to the GPHC where he died later that night.

Thursday, December 07, 2006