Bartica businessman remanded for hammering customer to death

Several days after being released on $1 million station bail pending investigation into the murder of one of his customers, Bartica businessman Raymond Roopnarine has been remanded to prison for the heinous crime.
Roopnarine, a 35-year-old businessman of Lot 30 Second Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), appeared on Thursday before Bartica Magistrate Christel Lambert and was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which stated that, on August 23, he murdered Mark Braithwaite, 40, of Four Miles Housing Scheme, Bartica. Roopnarine has been remanded to prison until September 29.
Roopnarine had been arrested shortly after the incident, but in keeping with the advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), was released on $1M station bail on Saturday, after the 72-hour detention period had expired.

It has been reported that Braithwaite was killed at a gaming shop located at Second Avenue, Bartica after Roopnarine had armed himself with a hammer and dealt him several blows to his head. The incident occurred at about 19:45h on August 23 at Blast Gaming Centre, which is owned and operated by Roopnarine’s 63-year-old father.
On the day in question, the younger Roopnarine was left in charge of the gaming centre while Braithwaite, a regular customer, was playing at one of the slot machines.
Police related that the two had a misunderstanding over alcohol spilling on the countertop, and during the argument, Roopnarine had reportedly scolded Braithwaite. Police added that Braithwaite then armed himself with several glass bottles that were nearby, and began hurling them at Roopnarine, who was in the bar behind the counter.

Roopnarine then armed himself with a hammer and went behind Braithwaite, who had made his way to the front of the gaming centre, where Roopnarine dealt him blows to his head and face.
Braithwaite had fallen to the ground and remained motionless. He was taken to the Bartica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. His body was examined, and blunt wounds were observed to the right jaw area, above the right eye, and to the forehead. His cause of death has been given as multiple blunt-force injuries to the head/multiple blunt force trauma to the head.