Ex-convict found dead weeks after release from prison

A 23-year-old man who was recently released from prison after serving time for simple larceny was on Tuesday found dead on a vacant plot of land at Number 55 Village, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).

Dead is Akash Pechia, called “Logoo”, a labourer, of Number 50 Village, Corentyne. His body reportedly bore several marks of violence. Following the discovery, two persons were taken into custody, including one of Pechia’s cousin, a 23-year-old male.
Police are working on the theory that Pechia might have been killed and his body dumped in the village, a short distance from the Number 55 cemetery. Given the marks visible on Pechia’s body, villagers believe that the man was tortured.
In August 2021, Pechia escaped from Police custody while at the Number 51 Police Station after he was arrested on a larceny charge. He was subsequently rearrested and charged with escape from lawful custody.
His cousin, Hemwattie Pechia explained that he was released from prison about three weeks ago on bail.
She believes that he might have been killed by someone from whom he stole. She told Guyana Times that she learned of her cousin’s demise via a Facebook post.
“What I saw was like a chop behind the ears and a chop on his hand. That is what I saw on Facebook. When I was going in the street to go and see him – but he was already gone, a lady tell me that he had bad chops, that the back chop bad and one of his hand chop bad actually is the skin holding it, but I did not see that,” the cousin said.

She said the last time she saw her cousin alive was during last week when he visited her Number 47 Village home. On that occasion, he said that someone – an ex-convict – was after him.
“He come by me someday in last week, I can’t remember which day and Ah warn him that I don’t want to hear that he go back to jail and we were gaffing and making a joke and then he tell me that ‘Abel’, he does drive a private car and he give me the number, but I did not put that in my head (memorise) catch his friend and beat up his friend and ask him where “Logoo” and I ask him if he do the boy anything, why the boy looking for you? He tell me he know the boy from jail. I tell him he must not be on the road late, but he like to go to Skeldon to sport,” Hemwattie recalled.
The cousin noted that she frequently warned him to stay out of trouble. According to her, she has since provided that information to the Police.

“They take the information, but they did not take a statement; I did not sign, but they told me that they are investigating,” Hemwattie said.
She is urging the Police to question those persons so named.
She related that the Police have arrested one of her brothers and another man for questioning in relation to the murder.
“They detained my brother and one of his friends, because the three of them, three mostly, does go to Skeldon to sport night times. I don’t’ know if the two of them was last seen with him or what, but I did not get to talk with my brother or the friend, because they in custody.”
According to Hemwattie, she would mostly communicate with her brother via telephone. Police are continuing their investigations into the incident.