‘I thought I was going to die’

ROBERT JAGESSAR is living a second life. As far as he is concerned, his brush with bandits more than two weeks ago is living testimony that he could have lost his life in a flash. When he was held captive at gunpoint, Jagessar said, “I thought I was going to die.” Jagessar, 43, Assistant Circulation Manager at Newsday, related his ordeal which lasted four hours during which he sustained injuries to his body. “On January 6, I was heading home in my car. Around 7.15 pm, I turned off the Diego Martin Main Road, into Charles Avenue and onto Allan Street. I stopped in the middle of the road to talk with my relatives. I noticed there was a car behind me, but I thought the driver was waiting to pass.

“As I got out to open my gate, a gun was placed in my face by a man. Then, there was another man. One of the men told me to go around and get into the car. They pushed me into the car. I sat in the left front seat. One man drove the car while the other with the gun sat in the back seat. “They drove off. One of them started to ask about Car Search, and if I had money. One of them started to search me, but I had no money. He then gave me three single dollars, which I still have. We got to the Diego Martin Highway and they stopped the car. “The driver pulled onto the shoulder and he told me to get out of the car. But I couldn’t and the men were getting flustered and scared. They were panicking. Then another car pulled alongside. I realised it was my family, but I did not tell the men.

“The driver in my car drove off in a hurry. By that time, I was pulled into the back seat. The driver told the other man with the gun to blind-fold me, which he did. Although I was blind folded, I could have still seen and I knew that we ended up in Cocorite. We drove up a hill and they took me out of the car ...in pouring rain.” Jagessar said he was taken along a muddy track at gun point. The place was dark and it was raining. “The gunman told me they wanted my car to make a robbery. He then told me to get out of there and go home. He said to follow the track and I would have come to a lamp-post with lights. He told me not to worry about anybody, just head for home, everything will be alright. “I took off with a speed, I started to walk down this dark and lonely track. I was so glad to leave. Then, the second man was coming up the track and asking for me. The gunman slid down the track and grabbed me. How he did that, I can’t say. They are accustomed to that area, I suppose.

“They found my wallet and then took me to a one-room shack on the hill. I was placed on a floor in a corner of the room. I started to plead with the gunman. “I told him I wanted to see my daughter again. I asked him if he had children and we struck up a conversation. He started to tell me about his problems. I started to counsel him, saying he must go to church and to change his life. “Then he did not want to hear any more, he threatened to kill me. I was feeling cold and the gunman gave me a sheet to cover. The other man came to the shack after nine o’clock. He wanted to know if the police would come looking for me if I did not reach home by a certain time. “I said yes. He told me to call my family and tell them I was coming home now. I called home and spoke to a relative and I told her I was coming home soon.

“The man took away the phone and he kicked me in the ribs. He came around the other side and kicked me again. He threatened me saying he killed four men already and he would shoot me. “I felt I was going to die at any time and I wouldn’t see my family again. I started to pray and say the Rosary. He found my bank cards and told me if I did not give him the pin numbers, he would shoot me. He left the shack with my wallet and returned ten minutes later and said ‘Robert, you going home just now, all we want is the car to make a robbery.’” Jagessar said he still thought he was going to die. “The man gave me the phone to dictate my pin numbers to the person on the other end. Some time passed and they told me they got through with my bank cards. They put me in my car, but it could not start.

“I helped them and they started the car. But then the car had no brakes and they were going down a hill. The car then came to a halt and one of the men told me to give them ten minutes before I could leave. “I thought they were going to shoot me, but they ran away. I looked up and realised I was in the middle of the road. I got into the driver’s seat and drove to St James and then to Diego Martin. “I came home to my wake, because all my relatives had gathered fearing the worst.” Jagessar went to a private doctor the next day and he has not reported to work since then. “I want to thank God for my life, the mercy he showed. It shows that Jesus is alive.” Jagessar said he was concerned about the crime situation in the country, but said he was happy and lucky to be alive to talk about his incident.