Forty-year-old Stherlinga Gilkes, called “Coconut Man” and “Herby”, a vendor of Lot 35 Victoria Road, Plaisance, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was slapped with a manslaughter charge on Wednesday.
Stherlinga Gilkes called ‘Coconut man’ and ‘Herby’
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge over the unlawful killing of Neil Rampersaud, 31, an engineer of Phulwari Street, Better Hope, ECD. He was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 after the Administration of Justice Act (AJA) was applied.
Gilkes will return to the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court on July 8 for reports before Magistrate Rochelle Liverpool.
Gilkes, a coconut vendor, was arrested after he fatally stabbed Rampersaud on Sunday.
Rampersaud’s friend, Mohan Panchu, also of Phulwari Street, Better Hope, was also injured. They were stabbed on two separate occasions in Better Hope.
It was reported that around 06:35h on Sunday, Gilkes and Panchu had a misunderstanding during which the former armed himself with a metal rod and dealt the latter several stabs about his body.
Dead: Neil Rampersaud
Shortly after the incident, Rampersaud, who also knew Gilkes, learned of the stabbing and confronted him in the vicinity of Zahora Street, Better Hope,.
The engineer demanded Gilkes turn himself in at the Police station. This resulted in the two men getting into an altercation during which Rampersaud dealt Gilkes two lashes about his body, causing him to receive injuries.
Gilkes, who was armed with a coconut blade at the time, retaliated by stabbing Rampersaud to his upper left side, causing the man severe injuries.
After being stabbed, the injured Rampersaud ran away from his attacker and was subsequently rushed to the Woodlands Hospital in Georgetown. It was reported that while receiving medical treatment, the engineer succumbed to his injuries.
Shortly after the incident, Gilkes was arrested by ranks of the Sparendaam Police Station, and was then escorted to the CC Nicholson Hospital at Nabaclis, ECD, where he was treated and handed over to the cops.
Police said the vendor handed over the murder weapon.
