2 plead not guilty to 2021 Albion backdam murder

…jury empanelled, State to call 19 witnesses

Two men were on Wednesday arraigned before Justice Gino Persaud at the Berbice High Court for the 2021 murder of a labourer who was reportedly attacked in the Follow-Up, Albion backlands, and subsequently died in hospital.
Harrynarine Harilall, called “Screech”, and Kumar Richiram, called “Gangster”, both pleaded not guilty to the charge when they appeared virtually from prison.
The indictment alleges that Harilall and Richiram, acting together, murdered 53-year-old Vishnu Dalchan, called “Tongman” or “Tony”, between April 4 and April 23, 2021, in the county of Berbice.

Dalchan was a labourer of Follow-Up, Albion.
Following the reading of the indictment and the men’s pleas, a 12-member jury comprising 10 men and two women was selected and sworn to hear the case.
Harilall is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Kevin Morgan, while Attorney-at-Law Charlyn Artiga is appearing for Richiram. State Counsel Merissa Edwards is prosecuting.
The prosecution is expected to call 19 witnesses during the trial.
Those witnesses include civilians from East Canje, Black Bush Polder and the Corentyne, along with police ranks and Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh.
The presentation of evidence is scheduled to commence on September 8.
Before releasing the jury on Wednesday, Justice Persaud gave the panel strict instructions not to discuss the case with anyone or among themselves until permitted to do so by the court.
The Judge also warned jurors against conducting independent research into the case, following commentary on social media or reading newspaper reports concerning the matter.
He explained that their responsibility is to listen to the evidence presented by witnesses during the trial and ultimately determine, on that evidence, whether the two accused are guilty or not guilty.
Reports following the incident in 2021 indicated that Dalchan was found unconscious in the Follow-Up, Albion backlands, after reportedly being injured during an altercation.
He had reportedly sustained injuries to his upper body and was taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital for treatment.
As a result of the seriousness of his injuries, Dalchan was subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he died days later.
Harilall was subsequently arrested and charged in connection with the killing, appearing before the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court in August 2021.
The matter has now reached the Berbice High Court, where Harilall and Richiram are being tried jointly for Dalchan’s murder.