Teen flees from Buxton captors
By Nigel Williams
Stabroek News
December 20, 2002
A 15-year-old schoolboy who was kidnapped in broad daylight on the Buxton Railway Embankment yesterday freed himself from his bonds and ran for 20 minutes before he was rescued by a Guyana Defence Force patrol.
Deon Williams of Lusignan told Stabroek News that he got the scare of his life yesterday and at one point he thought that it was just a matter of time before his abductors would kill him.
A press release from the Guyana Police Force Public Relations Department yesterday said that the 15-year-old said he escaped from his abductors who had blindfolded and transported him to the backdam, south of the railway embankment in Buxton around 11.15 am. The police said that the young man left home at about 8:30 am and at about 10. 15 am his parents received a telephone call to the effect that he had been kidnapped and the sum of $2 million would have to be paid for his release. The release stated that around 11.30 am the young man reported to soldiers on the railway embankment road that he was kidnapped by two men. The abductors used his jersey and bound his hands and feet and also threatened to kill him, the release added.
Speaking to this newspaper after prayers by his pastor last evening, Williams said that he was very grateful that the men did not kill him, or seriously wound him. He said that at about 8 am yesterday he went to visit a friend at Bladen Hall, also on the East Coast, and was returning home around 9:30 am when the abductors approached him. "I was just walking on the railway line and while in the area of Annandale Side Line Dam two men approached me."
Williams said the men were both young and one of them was armed with a shotgun while the other was riding a bicycle. He related that when he was accosted one of the men asked him if he had money but he answered in the negative and another question followed asking him whether his family was rich. The school lad said he again answered in the negative and with that they led him to the backlands.
Williams said at this point he realised that something was wrong and then one of them showed him a gun.
"So I walked with them going into the backlands into the canefield," the lad recounted.
He said after walking for some distance the man on the bicycle instructed him to climb onto the bike and he did so. "We began to ride and ride and when we reached into the canefield I was told to come off the bicycle."
All this time Williams said he did not know what was the men's motive and as such he remained very quiet while praying silently. According to him on their arrival in the canefield he was instructed to walk a little further into the field and whilst walking the men took down his telephone number, his age, address, parents' names and some other personal information. Williams observed that one of the abductors was carrying a cell phone and both of the men were decently attired. He said after walking a little while in the canefield he was asked to sit down and as he did one of the men sat with him. He said immediately after that, he overheard the man who was riding the bicycle telling his accomplice that he was going to the gas station at Friendship Public Road and would return later. The bicycle man departed and Williams was left alone with the other man who was also armed. He said while there he was continually questioned about his personal life and also about his relatives' whereabouts.
"I could not take it anymore at this point and began crying, since the man started to threaten to kill me after I told him we are very poor people and don't have money."
It was while crying the lad recalled that his aunt received a telephone call from one of the abductors informing her about Williams' kidnapping and a demand for a $2 million ransom for his release.
She related that when she answered the phone the man said to her, "We have Deon hay and you have to bring $2 million before yuh get him."
The woman said he immediately asked the man to speak to her nephew and her request was granted. She said that Deon told her everything that had happened and after speaking to him she agreed with the kidnappers on a convenient venue for the handing over of the ransom and the phone was then hung up. The woman said even though she agreed with the men she had no intention of paying that amount of money since they are very poor people.
More death threats were issued by the man and Williams said he began crying again.
He recalled that the gunman appeared to get disgusted at his accomplice's delay in returning and then stripped him of his jersey and bound and blindfolded him. He said after that, the man went away. To confirm this he called out to him addressing him as "sir" but got no answer. Williams said after receiving no answer he began to untie himself.
"It took me a little while, but I really struggle until I loose out my hands and feet and then loose out my eyes."
He said immediately after that he began running out of the canefield and on his way he came upon a woman but when he asked her to assist him she told him to keep on running. Williams said he kept up his pace and after about 20 minutes of non-stop running he arrived on the railway embankment. Fortunately for him a GDF patrol was passing at the said time and he flagged down the vehicle and explained his situation to the soldiers who took him to the Vigilance Police Station where he gave a statement and was later sent home.
