Ex-soldier charged with gold dealers’ murder

Oct 01, 2010 News

Murder accused Keron Herbert.

– slumps to the floor with belly pain

Magistrate Priya Beharry yesterday remanded a former member of the Guyana Defence Force after he was charged with murdering the two gold miners at Bartica, last month.
Keron Herbert, 24, of 31 ‘A’ Morocut Square, East La Penitence, was not required to plead to the indictable offence of murder when the charge was read yesterday.
The allegation is that Herbert, between September 4 and 5, murdered Jainarine Raghubar and Ramdeo Deonarine.
Herbert, who was unrepresented by lawyer, slumped to the floor as the charge was read to him. Barely able to stand Herbert told the magistrate that he was suffering from a severe stomach ache.
The magistrate subsequently ordered that Herbert be taken to the prison’s medex.
The prosecutor told the court that the two persons were found murdered in a house at Bartica. He said that a quantity of gold and money was also stolen from the house.
Weeks of diligent police work led to the arrest of Rawle Newton who was also charged with the murders.
Soon after Newton was captured a wanted bulletin was issued for Herbert and he was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.
After hearing what the prosecution stated, the magistrate subsequently remanded Herbert, who is expected to make his next court appearance on October 27.
The matter was also transferred to the Bartica Magistrate’s Court for trial.
The former soldier is believed to have played a key role in the murder of the two gold dealers and the theft of millions in cash and jewellery from their victims.
The booty is said to have included $25 million stashed in a suitcase, some 100 ounces of raw gold, a quantity of jewellery, a large diamond worth at least $15 million and two firearms.
Last week Monday, five persons including a woman were all charged and remanded in connection with the two murders and robbery.
Rawle Newton, known as “Satan’s Ambassador”, was first to be charged with murdering the two gold miners.
His brother, Michael Newton, was also charged with aiding and abetting him. Also charged were Tactical Services Unit (TSU) rank Constable Marlon Letlow and former Immigration Officer, Linden Scotland.
It was alleged that after the two men learnt of the murders, they confronted Rawle Newton and collected $1.4M and a motorcar from him. They were allegedly nabbed by police ranks while attempting to collect more money from Newton.
Kim Bumbury, Rawle Newton’s reputed wife, was charged with aiding and abetting him.
It is alleged that Newton went to Bumbury’s home and left a quantity of money and gold with her to keep.
During their investigation, police seized four newly purchased cars and a quantity of electrical appliances from homes in Meadow Brook, La Penitence and Agricola.
The police also recovered the firearm owned by Ricky Ramnarine, the man in whose home the gold dealers were killed.