Body found with 66 stab wounds

Dec 27, 2009 News

Residents of Lethem, Rupununi, were greeted on Christmas morning by the sight of the body of a man lying in a pool of blood at the approach to the Takatu Bridge.

The man who police say is Marcus Paul Da Silva, 34, a Brazilian but who residents identified as Ramotar Singh, of Moco-Moco village in the Rupununi, is the victim of a brutal murder some time between Christmas Eve night and Christmas morning.

His body bore more than 60 stab wounds to his head, face, upper chest and lower back.

Police in a press release said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Brazilian National Marcus Paul Da Silva, 34, of Brazil. His body was found at about 07:30 hours on Christmas Day at Takutu, Lethem, with stab wounds.

But reliable sources in the Lethem area said that the man is a Guyanese drug addict who previously lived in Bon Fin, Brazil.

Up to yesterday police did not disclose any motive for the killing but Kaieteur News understands that the murder could be as a result of a revenge attack on the victim.

According to reports, Singh was involved in an incident at a bar in neighbouring Brazil during which he assaulted a man with a cutlass.

Investigators believe that Singh, who is also known as Buju Banton, was attacked after leaving a popular Lethem disco.

It is also believed that he was attacked by several persons who managed to overpower him and to inflict the wounds in a brutal manner.

“It is hardly likely that any one person would have inflicted so many wounds,” a police source told this newspaper.

A trail of blood was visible from where Singh lay to the Takutu Bridge, which suggested that the victim wounded one of his attackers.

However this newspaper understands that a suspect, whose clothing was covered with blood and who was also wounded was apprehended by security personnel on the Brazilian side of the Takutu Bridge.

Investigations are continuing.