A father of four of Number 79 Village, Corriverton is in a critical condition at the New Amsterdam Hospital after he was shot by one of five bandits who attempted to rob him around 8.15 pm on Friday.

Stabroek News learnt that the bullet hit Shaykh Afseer Hussein, 36, in his right side upper chest and passed diagonally across the abdominal area, damaging his spine, pelvis and liver.

Hussein underwent surgery and was reported to be in a lot of pain.

A police press release issued yesterday evening said Hussein had been shot in the shoulder and that there was no clear motive for his shooting. The police said they were investigating.

According to reports, Hussein was returning home after performing his night prayers at the Darul Uloom at Number 74 Village when he was confronted by the bandits.

He was about to open the gate to drive into his yard when two bandits ran up to him and asked, "Where is the money? Bring the money." Taken aback, he enquired, "Which money; what are you talking about?"

His nine-year-old son who was in the car saw what was happening to his father. He also saw three other bandits approaching with a gun and he started to scream. One of the bandits hit the child, took him out of the car and went to tie him up under the house.

Instinctively, Hussein attempted to run to his son's rescue, but a bandit hit him with a piece of wood and another fired the shot. The men then immediately fled the scene while Hussein was rushed to the Skeldon Hospital.

He was transported to the NA Hospital by an ambulance "after waiting some time for them to locate one," a Muslim brother from the Darul Uloom said.

He said they had already made arrangements for persons in NA to pick up the doctors and take them to the hospital. He said the doctors were there when they arrived but they were delayed for about 20 minutes while waiting on an x-ray technician.

The brother said Hussein was to be transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital but doctors in Berbice have to observe him for 24 hours.

Meanwhile, other brothers of the Darul Uloom and the different Islamic organizations are saddened at the attack on Hussein. They described him as an "extremely humble person." "We are puzzled as to why the bandits would want to target him. He is not a businessman or anything," a brother said.

The brother said Hussein, a lecturer at the Darul Uloom, an Islamic School, "promotes morality and good values. I find it ironic that he [Hussein] had to be shot in that manner. But this is indeed a test from God."

When this newspaper contacted the family yesterday, Hussein's wife was too distraught to speak and her family, especially the child who witnessed the ordeal were still traumatized.