Cuban National allegedly staged kidnapping, requested US$1,500 from relatives

The police are investigating an alleged staged kidnapping of a Cuban national that purportedly occurred on Wednesday in Georgetown. 

The alleged victim reportedly sent a photo of himself being held at gunpoint in the back seat of a car and requested US$1,500from his father as ransom. 

However, upon receiving information about the alleged kidnapping, detectives carried out a thorough investigation, including a review of CCTV footage from cameras at various locations. 

Footage from a hotel on North Road, Georgetown, reportedly showed that on Wednesday at about 9:10h, a white Toyota Axio bearing PAH 9098, registered to one Shamar King, who claimed to be a police constable from Grove East Bank Demerara, arrived at the hotel.

He exited the car along with Cuban national Daikol Manuel Tartabull Rodriguez, and they both went inside.

At about 9:15h, they, along with the alleged victim, Ivan, reportedly exited the hotel, got into the car, and drove off. 

Further CCTV footage revealed that after making several spins around the city, the car then proceeded to the East Bank of Demerara. 

Based on this information, the detectives went to Grove, where they observed the alleged victim along with King sitting in the back seat of another motor car, PHH 3432, registered to Travis Fletcher from Middle Road , La Penitence , who was seated in the driver’s seat. 

The other suspect, Daikol, was in the front passenger seat. At the time, the vehicle was parked in front of King’s residence. 

As such, a search was conducted in the car, during which a black Astra Glock 17 Air Pistol that fit the description of the firearm seen placed in Ivan’s mouth was found on the floor of the back seat of the car. 

The four men were all arrested, and during interrogation, King reportedly claimed that Daikol, who is renting his aunt’s house, hired him on Wednesday to transport him to Georgetown. 

He added that Daikol told him that the alleged victim owed him some money and wanted to reach him at the hotel. 

As they arrived at the hotel, he accompanied Daikol into the building, where he met Ivan, and they started to speak in Spanish to each other. 

He further related that they exited the building and sat in the back seat of the car, continuing to converse in Spanish.

After driving around the city, Daikol reportedly instructed him to take them home to Grove , where they exited the car. 

However, at about 20:00h, King said he received another call from Daikol, who wanted to go partying, and as such, he contacted another taxi to take them, but instead, they were intercepted by the police. 

Ivan, the alleged victim , during questioning, claimed that the air pistol belonged to him and that he had given it to Daikol and instructed him to put it in his mouth, take a photo, and send it to his father, Ivan Ruallo Ruiz, who resides in the US. 

Further, he claimed that he told his father that he was in some trouble and wanted US$1,500 and never told his father that he was kidnapped. 

The four men remain in custody as investigations continue.