As investigations intensify into the murder of sexagenarian Pandit Deonarine Liliah and his 29-year-old son Gopaul Liliah, which occurred at their residence in Craig Street, Campbellville Georgetown, a close business associate of the elderly deceased has been taken into custody on Thursday.
Apart from this businessman, two other men have been taken into custody for this gruesome double murder. On Friday, Police approached the High Court with an application to further detain the men as they gather evidence. A source close to the investigations has told Guyana Times that the businessman in custody has an issue pending in court with the late pandit’s son who resides overseas.
The source also related that, based on Police investigations, the businessman was reportedly in the driving seat in the court battle, and there was no need to murder the pandit and his son. This new revelation has elicited several unanswered questions.
In addition, the source related that the murder did not stem from an $8 million loan, as was reported in other sections of the media.
“A” Division Commander Leslie James, when contacted, explained thus, “We’re wrapping up investigations. The three men in custody are cooperating.”
On Tuesday last, detectives found that the back door of the Liliahs’ home had been left ajar. The younger Liliah’s body was reportedly found lying face down on the floor in a pool of blood, with a red jersey wrapped around his head. There were three stab wounds to his back, one each to the left and right side abdomen, and two to the chest.
The elder Liliah was found lying on his back in the living room. He was clad in a pair of white long pants and multiple coloured top, and his face was covered with a multi-coloured jersey.
He had sustained four stab wounds to his abdomen, four to his left side abdomen, one to the lower back, and one to the right hip.
Sources close to the investigations told Guyana Times there was no sign of forced entry into the home. However, CCTV footage collected from nearby buildings revealed that an unidentified man was seen scaling the fence, and he entered the premises through a front door. After some time, he was seen leaving the house with two bulky bags and a bucket. The house had been ransacked.
Additional information revealed that the pandit, who had also been an astrologer, had resided with his son in the upper flat of thea two-storey wooden and concrete building, while the lower storey is occupied by a 40-year-old home aid worker.
The two men were last seen by the tenant at about 06:00h on Saturday last, and it has been confirmed that they and the tenant had had conversation.
The pandit had attended a Ramayan Yagna at Lusignan Mandir, ECD on Saturday evening and would have left around 21:00h to return home.
The tenant said that on Saturday, at about 21:00h, she was using her landlord’s Wi-Fi when it suddenly went off, and it was around the same time she had heard footsteps coming from the upper flat of the house.
After three days had elapsed and there had been no sign of the men, the woman became suspicious and went to the Kitty Police Station, where she made a report. She was accompanied to the premises by three Police ranks. It was then that the gruesome discovery was made. The bodies of two men were already in a state of decomposition.
The two men were cremated on Thursday at the Good Hope Crematorium.
