15-year-old charged for killing Top Cop’s brother

A 15-year-old Sophia, Greater Georgetown teen, who allegedly killed Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud’s brother was slapped with a murder charge on Tuesday.

The teen appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.

The teen, who is accused of killing Hemant Persaud on February 19, 2017, was sobbing throughout the court proceedings.

The prosecution is contending that on the day of the murder, the juvenile in the company of another at the Stabroek Market Square, noticed Persaud in a drunken state. The court was further told that the deceased had reportedly just returned from the interior and was seen making “wild” purchases from a vendor, after which he (the teen) trailed him to the back of the market and attempted to rob him of his valuables. In the process of the robbery, the teen stabbed Persaud.

Dead: Hemant Persaud
Dead: Hemant Persaud

The 51-year-old of Affiance Village, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by public spirited citizens where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The teen when arrested on March 3, at his Sophia, Georgetown home, had allegedly admitted in the presence of his family and Police officers to committing crime. Guyana Times reported that a woman suspected to be involved in the stabbing to death of Persaud, was arrested but was released since at that time, the Police were unaware of the identity of the man. Persaud remained unidentified for approximately two weeks at the GPHC mortuary, as his family had believed he was in the interior. However, it was not until Police released information seeking the public’s assistance in the identification of the man, that the body was confirmed to be that of Hemant Persaud. Meanwhile, the teen was remanded to the Sophia Juvenile Detention Centre until March 15, when the matter will continue.