Belvedere labourer beaten to death, carpenter arrested after drunken brawl

– Police probe 2nd Corentyne death as decomposed body found

Police on the Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) are investigating the brutal death of a 56-year-old labourer of Belvedere Village.
The victim has been identified as Imran Kadir, also known as “Shut Pon Shoulder”, a well-known labourer of the village.
His body was discovered lying motionless in his yard on Sunday morning, following what police suspect was a drunken brawl the previous night.
A police statement said the body bore signs of violence, and a bloodstained piece of wood believed to be the murder weapon was recovered near the scene.
Investigators say Kadir was reportedly drinking with a 32-year-old carpenter from the same community when an altercation broke out. The suspect has since been arrested as investigations continue.
The incident is the latest in a troubling series of violent killings that have rocked the Corentyne Coast.
When the media visited the community on Sunday, resident Khemraj Ganputh, who lives a few houses away from the victim, recalled seeing the suspect on Saturday afternoon walking with a piece of wood, one which he later recognised as possibly being the same object police retrieved from the scene.
“I see he with a piece of wood ‘bout one, two o’clock. When they show me the piece of wood with blood, I said, ‘Well, it got to be the same piece of wood,” Ganputh told reporters.

He said the suspect appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and agitated when he passed through the area.
“He high, high. I try stop he from going in my yard, but he still go in… Later we didn’t hear no noise or hollering. This morning when I go over, we see the man flat on the ground; blood deh pon he,” the neighbour related.
According to Ganputh, the two men were known to drink together often and had no known history of arguments.
“Them does drink together all the time. Imran is a good man, but when he taking a drink, he does get mischief on,” Ganputh recalled.
“Is sad, bai,” Ganputh said quietly as he watched police remove the body. “We grow up together round here. This kinda thing happening too much now.”

Suspect arrested as focus turns to increasing
alcohol-related homicides
The suspect, identified only as Joel “Joke” Ramsammy, was taken into custody early Sunday morning by ranks from the Albion Police Station.
The killing adds to a disturbing pattern of murders in the Corentyne area over the past year, many of which have been tied to alcohol-fuelled disputes among acquaintances.
In the past six months alone, there have been at least five recorded homicides in communities stretching from Albion to Number 72 Village — several of which stemmed from domestic or drunken altercations.
Residents say the incidents highlight the need for stronger community intervention and policing presence in the rural Corentyne areas, where small-scale drinking sessions often escalate into deadly confrontations.
A senior police source in Region Six confirmed that investigators are examining whether substance abuse and mental health issues are contributing factors in several of the recent homicides.

Community in shock
At Belvedere, the mood on Sunday was sombre. Neighbours gathered quietly near the cordoned-off yard where Kadir’s body was found. Many described him as a friendly man who did odd jobs and was always willing to lend a hand.
“He don’t trouble people, but when he get a lil’ rum, he mouth does run,” one resident said. “Still, nobody expect something like this.”
Kadir’s body was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital mortuary, where it awaits a post-mortem examination.
Police have since assured the public that a thorough investigation is underway and that charges are expected soon.

Police probe 2nd fatality on Sunday
The death of Kadir comes with the discovery of a badly decomposed body in a grassy area along a track at the No. 43 Village seashore, Corentyne, Berbice, early on Sunday.
Based on police reports, inquiries revealed that a 31-year-old fisherman of No. 35 Village, Corentyne, who was walking along the No. 43 seashore after experiencing an issue with his fishing boat that was stuck due to low tide, detected a strong stench and subsequently discovered the remains.
Police were summoned and ranks processed the scene, after which the body was escorted to the Port Mourant Public Hospital.
Due to the advanced state of decomposition, the identity of the deceased and cause of death could not be immediately determined.
The remains have since been placed in cold storage at Ramoo’s Funeral Home pending identification and a post-mortem examination.
Investigations are ongoing.