‘Sash’ Sawh murder accused succumbs

Jul 25, 2009 News

Death had the final say in the high profile Satyadeow Sawh Preliminary Inquiry, after David Leander, called ‘Biscuit’, succumbed yesterday from the mystery illness that struck him eight days ago.
The 26-year-old Buxtonian, who was at the time the last surviving accused, died in the Male Medical Ward without emerging from the coma into which he had lapsed on Wednesday.

Hospital attendants prepare to take Leander’s corpse to the mortuary

He was due to appear in court yesterday.
Hospital officials reportedly did not notify relatives about his death and porters had already wrapped his body and wheeled it to the mortuary before many of them arrived.
Although Leander’s aunt, Evelyn Estwick, had indicated that the family was preparing for the worst, she and other relatives erupted in wailing outside the hospital’s mortuary after confirming the news.
Estwick said she was at the hospital early yesterday morning to see her nephew. She said he was “much lower,” and was barely breathing.
She left at around 05:30 hrs for home, “but as soon as I reach in the house I get a call saying David just dead.”
Estwick claimed that she and other family members accused hospital officials of still not explaining what could have led to Leander’s sudden demise.
The aunt said she queried why her nephew was not transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, after it became obvious that his condition had worsened.
One hospital official said that Leander was acutely diabetic and without proper medication and diet his condition worsened.
The source said that this could have explained the coma and subsequent death.
Earlier this week, Leander’s attorney, James Bond, had told Kaieteur News that he would ask Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee to launch an investigation into the circumstances that led to his client’s sudden illness.
And though some might see Leander’s death as “an ironic twist of justice,” everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Bond pointed out that Leander fell ill while in the care of prison authorities.
“Now is an ample time for an investigation to be launched. This is owed to his relatives as to how he met his demise.”
Relatives had held out little hope that he would have lived after medical staff informed them that Leander’s kidneys were failing.
Leander was admitted to the GPHC last week Thursday after collapsing in his cell the day before he was to have appeared in the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court.
Magistrate Yohhahnseh Cave subsequently adjourned the matter to July 24.
Leander was first taken to the Accident and Emergency Unit where he was reportedly treated for persistent vomiting.
According to the aunt, he was also treated the previous Thursday at the GPHC after he complained of feeling unwell.
Leander’s attorney, James Bond, had told Kaieteur News that he would like to meet with Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, in a bid to have an official investigation launched into his client’s sudden illness.
Leander, along with now-dead gunman, Jermaine ‘Skinny’ Charles, was charged with the murder of Minister Satyadeow Sawh, his brother Rajpat Sawh, sister Pulmattie Persaud and security guard Curtis Robertson, who were slain on April 22, 2006 at the Minister’s La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara home.
On his first court appearance in late 2007, the man’s attorney had alleged that he was badly beaten while in custody, and he had to be assisted to and from the courtroom.