Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) has recorded 10 murders for the first five months of the year, compared with seven for the corresponding period last year.
Among those murders were a woman, who was killed and stuffed into a barrel, which was later dumped into a trench; a businessman who was killed when he went down the street to jog; his house later ransacked and a labourer who was killed by a teenager who wanted a place to sleep. In fact, that senseless murder was the first murder for the year.
Dead: Chanderpaul Dhoman
On January 3, Dave Jacobs, 19, attacked and killed 43-year-old Persaud Kamaldeo, called “Tyie” at a stand at the Corriverton Market because Kamaldeo was sleeping on the stand he wanted to sleep on. Kamaldeo had been sleeping on the streets for a number of years and Jacobs was having his first night on the streets after arriving from Orealla a few days prior. The matter is currently engaging the attention of the Magistrate’s Court. While it was the first murder for the year, it is not the first on the record books.
On January 1, Chanderpaul Dhoman called “Jack” of Johanna North, Black Bush Polder, succumbed to his injuries after being beaten by two villagers on December 30, who made allegations that his animals were grazing in their farm. The two men are also before the court.
Dead: Lomenzo Johnny
On February 1, a rice and cattle farmer, forty-year-old Parmanand Lakeram, also called “Bachan” or “Fancy”, of Number 58 Village, Corentyne, was shot and killed on his farm. With his dying breath, he reportedly told two of his workers who it was that shot him. Two men are before the court for his murder.
On February 25, Anthony Permaul, 41, called “Banks”, of Clifton Settlement, Port Mourant, and his 52-year-old reputed wife were imbibing at their home when they had a misunderstanding which developed into a heated argument.
Permaul reportedly assaulted his spouse, who allegedly picked up a cutlass and chopped him. He died two days later. The wife is currently before the court.
On February 27, the battered body of a Rose Hall Town businessman, 49-year-old Lomenzo Johnny, was discovered in a yard where a building was under construction; it was located some 400 metres from his home.
Dead: Parmanand Lakeram
His feet were bound together with a shoelace. The sweater he was seen wearing the evening before was found a few feet away from the body.
A pair of scissors and a piece of wood were also found near to the body. There was a wound to the back, bruises to his hand, while his head and face appeared to be swollen.
When Police went to his home, they found that the front door was not locked and the inside of the house was ransacked. A safe along with other items were reportedly removed from the building.
Four persons were subsequently arrested after a professional was called in to open the safe. Police later issued a wanted bulletin for a fifth suspect. All five are now before the court.
On March 7, Keron Nicholson, 33, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, was reportedly engaged in a heated argument that escalated into an altercation with another man. However, Nicholson reportedly left the scene and went to another location, where he was attacked with a piece of wood. Nicholson was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital but was later transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he subsequently died.
Police later issued a wanted bulletin for 29-year-old Donald Sheriff. He has since been arrested and is before the court.
On April 6, Mahindra Mangru also called “Papo” of Port Mourant was involved in a scuffle with one of his employees over payment for work done. The businessman was found in an unconscious state in front of his gate after the fight. He died shorter after. The worker was arrested and is before the court. On the morning of April 11, the gruesome discovery of the body of a woman was made at Hampshire Village, Corentyne. 24-year-old Devika “Vanessa” Narinedatt was killed two days prior and stuffed into a barrel which was thrown into a nearby trench.
Her husband, Suraj Veersammy, called “Radesh” or “Rabbit” was later charged with the murder after confessing to hanging her.
