Five charged with murder
Five youths were yesterday charged with the vigilante-style murder of ex-convict Rickford Barker, whose battered body was found in a cemetery near the Soesdyke main road last Saturday.
But only three of the accused appeared in court yesterday, and arrest warrants have been issued for the other two.
Rickford Barker
Louie Dublin, Rupert Douglas and Ryan Chung, 22, all of Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara, were remanded to prison following their appearance in the Providence Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Priya Beharry.
They are to return to court on December 4.
Chung was represented by attorney-at-law Mark Waldron.
Magistrate Beharry also issued arrest warrants for Samuel Junior Bobb and Walter Settle, also of Soesdyke, in connection with the same matter.
Dublin, Douglas, Chung and their relatives wept in court after Magistrate Beharry remanded the accused.
Family members and friends also prayed with the three accused before they were escorted from the compound.
It is alleged that on November 15 last, the five accused murdered Rickford Barker, of Hyde Park, Timehri, after apprehending him at Soesdyke.
There are reports that Barker, who was recently released from prison, was beaten shortly after he had broken into a shop in the area.
Barker’s semi-nude body was found, at around 06:00 hrs on Saturday last, in the cemetery located near the Soesdyke Public Road.
Police reported that the back of Barker’s head bore a gaping wound, and there were also several abrasions on the dead man’s back.
Clothing believed to have belonged to the dead man was found not far from the body.