One witness eventually testified on Thursday before coroner, Juliet Holder-Allen, when the inquest into the deaths of the three men who were gunned down by members of the Target Special Squad of the Guyana Police Force in July, began in court two of the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

Eustace Abrams known as 'Robo Cop' was the first of the four police officers slated to give evidence, to enter the witness box. Abrams told the court that on the morning of the incident, he and other officers were returning from East Bank Demerara, when, in the vicinity of Houston Access Road, they observed a white car with four men inside acting in a suspicious manner.

He said that at the time there were two police vehicles-a car in which he was travelling and a Land Cruiser, which had about nine officers including Superintendent Fraser. He said that his car pulled up alongside the white car after being so instructed by the officer in charge, Senior Superintendent Steve Merai.

The car was halted and three of the men rushed out of the vehicle and ran away, he said. They pursued and the men fired at them, which caused them to retaliate, he added. All three of the men were shot and pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital, he added.

Meanwhile, during cross-examination, the coroner was forced to ask Basil Williams who is representing the interest of the deceased to "ease and press" since the witness, on several occasions, seemed confused with the questions and changed answers several times before he gave a decisive one.

Williams put to the witness that on the day in question, the popular 'Death Squad' was hunting the men's life and was acting after they had pre-set the situation.

He said that the police followed the men and ordered them out of the car. Two of the officers including Abrams held two of the men at gun point with their faces down, while the third fled to a nearby stand after the ranks halted their vehicle. He was, however, pursued by the officer in charge, Williams added. The attorney claimed that the officer in charge discharged two rounds in the air and then shot the man, he then left and went across where the two men were, told the officers there something quietly and then went back to his man by the stand and finished him off.

He said at that time two other officers discharged rounds at the men they held at gun point killing them. Under cross-examination Abrams admitted that all of the officers were armed. He said he had a shotgun while his senior had a 9 mm pistol. He admitted that he didn't know all of the rules of the Guyana Police Force with regard to the use of firearms, but noted that there were many rules. Besides, he said he was not aware of the rules with regard to shooting to kill and posited that no policeman had the right to shoot at any citizen who is running away from him.

Abrams informed that before the shooting they passed many white cars, but they decided to stop the particular one because the occupants were seen acting suspiciously.

"If a man is armed there is no rule as to how you should respond. We are not killers. We are not exterminators we are often, referred to as the "Target base/ but, we are disciplined, the officer responded to some of the many questions posted to him by Williams.

The inquest will continue on Tuesday.