The body of a fisherman was on Wednesday afternoon discovered in a pound in the backlands of Number 68
Dead: Havan Chandarpaul
Village, Corentyne, and family members believe he was sexually assaulted before being killed.
The dead man has been identified as Havan Chandarpaul, age 28, a fisherman of Number 68 Village, Corentyne. His body was discovered at about 16:30h in a pond about half a mile into the backdam.
In a release, the Police said initial investigations revealed that the deceased left home on Monday, August 22, at about 20:00h for an unknown destination and never returned. A missing persons report was made on August 24, and a search was subsequently launched.
Havan Chandarpaul’s body was found floating face upward in a pond with marks of violence on his body. A suspect is in custody assisting with the investigation, the release added.
Reports are that two boys taking their sheep home from the backdam discovered the body and reported it to his parents.
The dead man’s mother, Seerani Chandarpaul, said he left home on Monday dressed in a blue shirt, white pants, and white cap. When he was found, he was only wearing his underpants.
An uncle of the dead man, Mahendranauth Doolchand, told Guyana Times that the body bore marks of violence. According to Doolchand, there was a laceration on the right side of the head and two on the left side. He said the back also carried a similar wound while his right shoulder seemed to have been fractured. The veins to each of his ankles were severed and his hands were bound behind his back, Doolchand said.
He said there were marks on the body to suggest that he was also sexually assaulted.
Meanwhile, an autopsy conducted on the body on Thursday by forensic Pathologist, Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan revealed Chandarpaul died as a result of shock and hemorrhage as a result of a fractured skull.
According to the dead man’s mother, there are two suspects. One she gave as an alleged drug dealer, known only as “Tariq” (only name given) who lives in the community and the other a married woman, whose son, she said, was in a relationship with Chandarpaul.
The grieving mother said she suspects “Tariq” is involved in the murder of her son.
According to her, over the past two months, her son received numerous threats to his life from the accused. She referred to him as a drug retailer who her son recently stole three ducks from. On Tuesday, the matter was settled when she paid “Tariq” $25,000 in open court.
According to the mother of two, her now dead son was a frequent user of narcotics but never purchased from “Tariq”, something he was not pleased with.
Following the discovery, Police went in search of the suspect and found him at a gambling shop. He and all those present were taken into custody.
Most of those detained were subsequently released. Police also took into custody the married woman’s son with whom the now dead man reportedly shared a relationship with.
In December 2011, Chandrapaul was charged and placed before the court after being suspected to be part of a notorious pirate gang. One year later, he was released from prison.
Police continue to investigate his death. (Andrew Carmichael)
