Wedding house murder: Berbice man charged for killing US-based Guyanese

A 26-year-old man was on Wednesday charged in relation to the murder of a young US-based Guyanese during his brother’s wedding celebrations at Crabwood Creek, Berbice.
Eon Gonsalves, of Grant 1802 Crabwood Creek, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore at the Number 51 Village Magistrate’s Court, where he was not required to plead to the charge of murder.

He is alleged to have murdered Lakan Chatterpaul at Crabwood Creek. Gonsalves was remanded to prison and the case was transferred to the Springlands Magistrates’ Courts, where it would be called up again on May 31. The 21-year-old Chatterpaul of Ohio, USA – along with five other family members – had arrived in the country to attend his brother’s wedding at Crabwood Creek.

Reports are that Chatterpaul was allegedly stabbed to death during an altercation with three men, who showed up at his relatives’ house during a party. The dead man’s grandfather said that they were having a get-together at his home when the three suspects walked into the yard. After the suspects, who are from the community, were reportedly seen with marijuana, they were asked to leave. According to media reports, that the trio left the yard and went into the street where they began to destroy the vehicles belonging to persons at the party. As such, family members rushed out to confront the trio. It was during this altercation that the young man was reportedly stabbed once to his heart. Two of the suspects were initially arrested while the third escaped. One of the suspects has since been released while Gonsalves was charged. The third suspect, who is believed to have delivered the fatal blow, remains in hiding. Meanwhile, following the arrest of Gonsalves, he reportedly confessed, telling investigators that he took the knife out of his waistband and inflicted the fatal injury.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack has since advised that persons who were involved in injuring Gonsalves be charged. Gonsalves was reportedly handed over to the Police at the scene suffering from several injuries. He had indicated that he suffered them at the hands of a mob that swarmed him at the scene of the crime. (G4)