Officer falls asleep, loses gun at Castellani House

May 28, 2013 News

A police Constable is under close arrest after losing his loaded firearm while on guard duty at Castellani House where the National Art Gallery and the National Central Intelligence Agency are located. Kaieteur News understands that the rifle, said to be an M-70, disappeared from the guard hut just before midnight on Sunday.

Castellani House

Subsequent information, however, stated that the missing firearm was recovered late yesterday afternoon. Sources said that a Guyana Defence Force officer who has access to the Castellani location went to the premises and after noticing the guard asleep, collected the weapon and took it away.
A police press release confirmed that a Constable is under close arrest for the ‘missing’ rifle. The release said that an M-70 rifle and 30 rounds issued to the officer for duty at Castellani House last night (Sunday May 26) went missing.
Sources further claimed that the rank reported fell asleep before his weapon went missing. He told investigators that he realized that it was gone when he awoke. It is unsure whether others on duty have been detained.
The police checked video footage yesterday from surveillance cameras in the compound for anything that would have led them to the rifle. Unconfirmed reports said that a car was seen pulling up at the location before the suggested time the gun disappeared, and left the compound a few minutes later.
The CIA unit at Castellani House, Vlissengen Road and Homestretch Avenue, surveys and records video feed from several cameras around the city. It is said to have sensitive and sophisticated technology in the area of monitoring and surveillance which includes phone tapping. A senior officer also confirmed the officer’s detention and suggested serious sanctions for him.