A 74 year old miner was tied up and burned to the face by bandits who robbed him after claiming that they were seeking employment with him on Friday morning in the Madhia Backdam area.
Felix Nichols 74, a native of St Lucia, who is nationalised Guyanese, suffered third degree burns to the face and is currently receiving medical treatment at a private city hospital.
According to a source in the Madhia community, the bandits only managed to escape with $2000.
Nichols, who owns and operates a small dredge, was attacked early Friday morning by the two bandits.
A relative of the elderly man told Kaieteur News yesterday that Nichols, who was alone at the worksite, was approached by the two bandits who asked him for bread and tea.
He was in the backdam working.when these two bandits came up to him and asked if he was hiring, the relative explained.
The relative explained that Nichols began telling the two men that business was closed for the season and there was no vacancy.
Kaieteur News was told that Nichols had just turned his back when the two men attacked him.
The bandits tied the elderly man with a rope.
They tied him up like how people tie up iguana, the relative explained.
According to the relative, the bandits then pulled out a can Baygon and sprayed it on Nichols.
They then threw a lighted match on him, causing the elderly man to be engulfed in flames.
Fortunately for Nichols, minutes after the bandits left, he was discovered lying on the ground by some of his employees who had turned up at the work site.
He was immediately rushed to the Mahdia Hospital where medical staff tried to stabilise his condition.
The elderly miner was subsequently transported via minibus to Linden, where his son, instead of an ambulance, brought him to the city.
Angry relatives yesterday expressed their disgust at the crime situation in the mining area.
They should not do this to innocent people who are trying to earn a living, said one relative.
Meanwhile, the police have intensified their efforts in trying to apprehend the perpetrators.