Jury in deadly piracy attack trial to deliberate on Monday

Two men who have been charged in connection with a 2018 piracy attack that had left five fishermen dead will know their fate next Monday, November 28, when the jury returns from deliberating.
One of these two men is 47-year-old Premnauth Persaud, also known as “Sand Bat”, of Cromarty Village, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). He has been indicted on five counts of the capital offence of murder, but has pleaded not guilty.
It is alleged that between April 14 and June 3, 2018, Premnauth Persaud murdered Bandara (only name given), called “Spanish Man” or “Dora”; Lalta Sumair, called “Bora” or “Puduck”; and Lokesh De Couite. The murders are alleged to have been committed on board the vessel Joshua SK 1418, which was under attack during the piracy incident.

Premnauth Persaud is also accused of murdering Mahesh Sarjoo, called “Kuba” or “Vishal”; and Tilaknauth Mohabir, called “Camion” or “Kaimon”, “Pollom” or “Palam,” and “Cold Record”, between April 14 and June 3, 2018 on board the vessel Romina SK 764, which was under attack during the incident of piracy.
The other man implicated in this incident of piracy is 43-year-old Nakool Manohar, called “Fyah”, of Number 43 Village, Corentyne, Berbice. He has been indicted on two charges which allege that, between the aforementioned dates, he counselled, procured and commanded Persaud and others unknown to murder the five fishermen.
Like Premnauth Persaud, Nakool Manohar has pleaded not guilty.
Justice Navindra Singh, presiding over this matter in the Berbice High Court, will sum up the evidence in the case on Monday before putting it to the 12-member jury for deliberation on a verdict.
Attorney-at-Law Latchmie Rahamat has been granted a fiat by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prosecute the case in association with State Counsel Nafeeza Baig. Manohar is being represented by Senior Counsel Mursaline Bacchus, while Persaud is being represented by attorney -at-law Horatio Edmondson.
Aside from these five fishermen, 15 others are still missing and are considered dead. According to reports, the piracy attack reportedly stemmed from the execution-style killing of Somnath Manohar, who was gunned down on March 30, 2018 in Suriname. As a result of Somnath Manohar’s death, his brother Nakool Manohar had travelled to Suriname and had offered US$50,000 to the pirate gang, allegedly headed by Persaud, to take revenge for his brother’s death.
The badly decomposed remains of the fishermen were discovered in Surinamese waters, and Police had had to rely on DNA testing to properly identify them. (G1)