Latest update November 29th, 2024 1:00 AM
Man, 48, remanded for murder of ‘Auntie Carmen’
– also charged with breaking into homes of two other women
Forty-eight-year-old Michael Stephney was remanded yesterday for the murder of 73-year-old Suroogpattie Ramlakhan, called ‘Auntie Carmen, slain last February in her Richmond Hill, Essequibo Coast home.
Alleged killer, Michael Stephney
Stephney was also charged with two counts of break and enter, allegedly committed at the homes of two other women, when he appeared before Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court.
It is alleged on November 20, last, he broke into the home of 63-year-old Juliet Banwarie, of Bush Lot, Essequibo Coast, and stole $8,000.
Police also allege that Stephney also broke into the house of Sabina Glenn and stole items worth $77,700. He was remanded until December 16.
But the accused, who was unrepresented, alleged in court that he was beaten to confess to murdering Ramlakhan.
“I was badly beaten, they tell me that I had to sign, they told me if I don’t sign I would be dead, they put a black plastic bag over my head, and one officer had a gun pointed at me.”
Stephney proceeded to ask the Magistrate to grant him permission to be medically examined. His request was granted.
Police said that they had arrested Stephney after Ramlakhan was slain, but released him after he denied killing the pensioner.
Police said that they rearrested him last Sunday, and had found matching fingerprints on louvre panes at the home of Juliet Banwarie, whose premises Stephney had allegedly broken into.
Suroogpattie Ramlakhan’s body was found on the floor of her two-bedroom residence.
A post mortem revealed that she had sustained head injuries and was strangled.
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