The businessman, 29, said the attack took place around 18:00 hrs.

Several other robbery attacks were reported and victims said some vehicles were damaged.

They claimed members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) were in the area but did not apprehend the attackers.

The robbery attacks took place after the funeral in the area of one of two men who recently died in a shootout with Police at Ogle, also on the East Coast Demerara.

The businessman said was driving east along the highway on his way home to Berbice from Georgetown when in the vicinity of Annandale, he had to slow his vehicle to a crawl because of a traffic jam ahead.

He said that five young men were standing at the side of the road and one of them with an open top `donation type' box, approached his vehicle and demanded money for `safe passage' through Buxton.

He said he and the two passengers gave them $100 each and drove on.

However, as he was about to leave Buxton, the businessman said he encountered a crowd of about 100 people milling all over the road - a situation which forced him to slow down and stop.

He said that a man in the crowd, who also had a `donation type' box in his hands, immediately approached the car, pushed his hand through the open window, turned off the ignition and demanded money.

The crowd had in the meanwhile surrounded the car and persons, including females, also pushed their hands into the vehicle and yelled for money, he said.

While shouting threats, some in the crowd started grabbing the businessman and two passengers by the shirt collars and manhandling them in an attempt to determine whether they were wearing jewellery around their necks.

The driver said that out of fear for their lives, he and the two others promptly handed over all the money and jewellery they had.

Those who had robbed them, including the man with the box, then retreated into the crowd and ran away, he said.

The businessman said he reported the incident to a member of the GDF who was close by but the soldier made no attempt to pursue or apprehend the thieves.

While driving away from the scene he said he saw the crowd attacking minibuses and damaging windows and windscreens.