The two men who shot a goldsmith three times at his home on Saturday were about to rob him after pretending they were customers, his wife Devika said yesterday.

According to the woman, her husband, Khemraj Ramdeo, told her from his hospital bed that he was shot once after he refused to hand over his chain and again when he refused to open his workshop.

Ramdeo is now a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) but his wife said he is talking and the doctors told her that his prognosis is very good.

He was shot at around midday on Saturday at his 235 Section B, Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara home by two men.

The man's wife said he told her that he was at the side of the house with his handyman when the two men entered the yard and took some jewellery to him giving him the impression that they were customers. But then one of them grabbed a "big fat chain he does get round he neck" and told him to take it off but he refused and he was shot in the left arm. They took the chain and then ordered him to take them into his workshop but he refused again and he was shot twice before the men made their escape on foot.

His wife said because her husband was not speaking after the incident she did not know what had transpired before the shooting. One of the man's workers said he was inside the shop connecting the music system when he heard the gunshots. He said he hid and when he came out he saw one of the men running up the road. Both men had on toques which covered their faces during the shooting.

The man's wife said he underwent surgery and a bullet was removed from his chest while the bullets to his arm and abdomen exited.