ILOILO City – A controversial businessman who previously faced a string of criminal charges was shot and stabbed to death by riding-in-tandem gunmen along Fort San Pedro Drive, Barangay Veterans Village on Saturday night.
Restaurateur Hamza Kayani, 31, of Barangay West Timawa, Molo district died of multiple gunshot and stab wounds at St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo.
According to Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, chief of Police Station 1, the attack was carried out around 10 p.m. Kayani was with a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy but the teenagers were unharmed.
From what the police so far gathered, Kayani was shot and stabbed seconds after coming out of his Mitsubishi Montero.
A motorcycle stopped by where Kayani was standing, the back rider went for the kill, then the culprits fled.
“The riders did not harm the victim’s two companions. It was clear that Kayani was the target,” Sangrines told Panay News.
Four empty shells of an unknown firearm were recovered from the crime scene.
CONTROVERSIES
Kayani hogged headlines in recent years. He faced charges for illegal drug and gun possession, sexual abuse, murder, and grave threat.
In 2015, Kayani disappeared from this city after he was tagged in the fatal shooting of real estate agent Rogelio Amil at The Q motel on Burgos Street, La Paz district on Sept. 13 that year.
He silently returned to the city after settling the murder case.
On Aug. 23, 2018, Kayani was arrested in a raid conducted by Police Station 1 in his house in Barangay Tanza Esperanza.
The raid led to the recovery of an unlicensed .45 pistol, 16 sachets of suspected shabu, grenade, and bullets. Three girls aged 11 to 14 years old were also rescued.
The raid and rescue spearheaded by then station commander, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Pablito were offshoots of an earlier operation involving a 15-year-old girl. The minor was reportedly hired as Kayani’s secretary on July 23, 2018 but was barred from leaving the businessman’s house for three weeks.
The 15-year-old filed charges of grave threats, abduction and rape against Kayani after her rescue.
After the raid, Kayani was charged with violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act and Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Pablito claimed Kayani was also in Police Station 1’s “Oplan Tokhang” watch list.
Two days after his detention at Police Station 1, Kayani was hospitalized. He claimed he was not feeling well.
His hospital arrest at the West Visayas State University Medical Center stretched for several months but he was eventually transferred to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Barangay Ungka, Jaro district. Later, he was released. His rape, drug and firearm charges were dismissed due to technicality, said a source.
POSSIBLE MOTIVES
Investigators are entertaining four possible motives: business rivalry, illegal drugs, vengeance for his murder case, and family feud.
A recent Facebook post of Kayani read: “Segiha lang da tita countdown sa kabuhi ko ah. Preparado ko ya katama sbng. Sino ka gid nga sapakon ni Chief PNP man? well unless gin budgetan mo gid ko eh.”
“May madamo pa sia nga ginpang-post. It seems may family feud, pero naga-conduct pa kita sang investigation. As of now, wala pa kita identity sang suspects,” Sangrines said.
The assailants were reportedly wearing facemasks and raincoats. They fled towards the area of Muelle Loney./PN
