Killer held two years after Kitty murder

Aug 04, 2010 News

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After two years of waiting for justice, relatives of Keith Josiah yesterday reacted with shock at the capture of his killer.
As the popular saying goes, ‘you can run but you can’t hide’, police yesterday confirmed the capture of Josiah’s killer, who is expected to face charges in relation to the July 28, 2008 murder.
Acting on information police on Monday swooped down on the suspect and arrested him in the vicinity of the Camp and Middle Street junction. The suspect went into hiding after stabbing Josiah during a confrontation on the Kitty Railway Embankment two years ago.
Yesterday, the dead man’s sister Ann reacted with surprise when she learnt that the suspect had been captured.
She and the rest of the family had almost given up hope that justice would have been served for the death of her brother.
According to Ann, several checks were made with the police after the murder, with the hope that the police would have been able to bring the killer to justice.
“But we gave up after a while. The police would tell us, ‘If y’all hear whey he deh, y’all come and tell we.’ I don’t know if it was we duty to go and find the killer,” Ann told this newspaper.
She said that for a while she was hearing that her brother’s killer had fled to Barbados and then later she heard that he was hiding out somewhere on the East Bank of Demerara.
On Tuesday, July 28, 2008, Josiah, who resided at 220 Thomas Street, Kitty, went to another house a short distance away to persuade his reputed wife to return home.
The move proved very tragic for the 48-year-old father of four as he was fatally stabbed by the suspect with whom the woman had gone to live.
Josiah succumbed at the Georgetown Hospital about half an hour later while undergoing treatment.
A post mortem examination conducted on his remains revealed that Josiah died from shock and hemorrhage.
According to the police, a verbal exchange had ensued between Josiah and the suspect and during an altercation Josiah was allegedly stabbed to his chest and forehead.
Josiah’s sister recalled that earlier that fateful day, she was upstairs when she heard a quarrel between her brother and a man over cigarettes.
That ended, but a few minutes later she heard her brother screaming for their sister Jackie.
She said that at first, she saw Josiah running then he started walking.
Ann recalled that Josiah staggered a bit before collapsing on the bridge that led to his home.
The woman said that after the stabbing, her brother’s reputed wife collected some of Josiah’s documents and photographs and left. The woman was arrested a few weeks later but was subsequently released.

Two remanded after gun, ammo find

Magistrate Hazel Octive Hamilton yesterday refused to grant bail to a man and woman who were caught with an unlicensed firearm on Sunday at Sophia.
Duncan Vanvield also known as “Blacka” and Melissa Singh both pleaded not guilty to illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition when the charge was read to them.
It is alleged that on August 1, at Sophia, they had in their possession a .32 revolver without having a firearm licence.
A second charge stated that the two had six rounds of matching ammunition, also without having a firearm licence.
They both pleaded not guilty.
When given a chance by the magistrate, Vanvield said that his reputed wife Melissa Singh was not involved. “Meh worship is I had de gun…not my wife” said Vanvield.
However Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels objected to bail. According to the prosecutor, Vanvield has pending matters in court.
The magistrate remanded both defendants. They are scheduled to make another court appearance on August 31.

Truck driver released on station bail

– as victim’s relatives await PM results

As police continue their investigation into the death of 10-year-old Derrick Paul Deonarine, the driver of the truck has been released on station bail.
Also, the police are awaiting the results of a post mortem examination, which is expected today. In addition, investigators continue to take statements from the other children who were with Derrick Deonarine at the time of his demise.
Yesterday, a close relative of the child said there is now another report about what transpired on Friday.
The lad’s aunt, Sunita Sumair, told Kaieteur News that they are now being told that the teen was struck by a hymac and not a truck, as was initially related to them by two of the children who were in the area at the time of the incident.
The woman said the family has made several attempts to talk with the other children who were with Derrick at the sand pit but they never seem to be accessible.
Sumair told this publication that statements were again taken from the children on Sunday last.
On Friday last, the 10 year-old lad was found dead on a trail leading to a sand pit at Soesdyke. The child left his Grand Sand Road, Soesdyke home earlier in the day along with some friends to go swimming in a dug out sand pit.
This newspaper was initially told that the lad was run over by a truck as he was attempting to cross the trial leading to the sand pit, while other persons reportedly said that he child met his death after falling off the truck which he was attempting to jump onto.
However the incident was only reported some three hours after it occurred, and according to reports from the area, the child was killed at one spot and placed at another.

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