Farmer charged for Lethem murder

May 14, 2009 News

A 56-year-old farmer was yesterday remanded to prison for the capital offence when he appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson.

As an expressionless Ronald Charlie stood in the docks at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, he was informed by the magistrate that he was not required to plead to the indictable offence of murder which states that on May 9, he murdered his wife, Eunice Charlie.

The cattle farmer proceeded to tell the magistrate that at the time of the murder he was under the influence of alcohol and could not remember what happened.

“Meh can’t remember what happened because I was drinking piwari (an Amerindian drink),” Charlie explained.

He was remanded to prison and is expected to make another court appearance on June 2. The matter was also transferred to the Lethem Magistrate’s Court.

According to a police press release, the woman died at the Lethem Hospital after receiving several lashes about the body.