Henry cousins’ PI to begin on May 3

WCB killings

Magistrate Peter Hugh on Tuesday upheld an application by Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd to have a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the deaths of 16-year-old Isaiah Henry and 19-year-old Joel Henry.
The matter was called on Tuesday at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court. Initially, there were submissions to have a paper committal but Todd argued that he would like to have the witnesses appear and testify to the evidence submitted by the Police.
Those charged for the murders are 19-year-old Akash Singh, called “Monkey,” of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo; his stepbrother, 33-year-old Anil Sancharra, called “Dan pole”; “Rasta” of D’Edward Village, and 34-year-old Vinod Gopaul called “Magga” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice. They were all charged with the murders of the Henry boys back in January. However, Attorney Todd is representing Sancharra and Gopaul. Police Prosecutor Inspector Phillip Sherriff informed the court that the State has 20 witnesses. As such Magistrate Hugh said he will commence the PI on May 3. “We can take four witnesses per day,” the Magistrate said in setting his timeline.
Todd also informed the court that he is encountering difficulties with communicating with his clients since Gopaul is currently at the Mazaruni Prison.
“I have not been able to speak with Gopaul,” the lawyer informed the court while noting that there are some issues in communicating with prisoners at the Mazaruni Prison.
Singh, who according to the Police had confessed, was charged separately with the murder of Isaiah while the other two accused were charged jointly for both murders. On September 6, 2020, the badly mutilated bodies of Isaiah and Joel were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice – almost two days after they had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts.
The murders of the Henry cousins had sparked protests across several villages along the West Coast Berbice corridor, where commuters were beaten and robbed. With roads blocked, some vehicles were also torched.
Then, days later, on September 9, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police for the cousins’ murders. However, the Police are yet to make any breakthrough in that case. (G4)