C’tyne money changer murder suspect held on return from T&T

Jan 28, 2016 News

-confesses to luring victim to death

Police in Berbice are preparing to charge a 19-year-old Corentyne man who has reportedly confessed to the

Money changer Mohamed Fizal Baksh

brutal murder of money changer Mohamed Fizal Mahmood Baksh, last December.
The suspect, Phileman Boodhoo, called Kevin, was arrested yesterday, one month after he managed to flee to Trinidad to escape arrest following the discovery of Baksh’s body in a bushy section of the No. 63 Village, Corentyne foreshore. The man was reported missing three days earlier.
Boodhoo, who also hails from Number 63 Village, Corentyne, reportedly told investigators a tale of how he lured the money changer to the beach with the sole intention of robbing him to take care of personal debts he had racked up over a period.
The suspect claimed that he was pushed into the act after he defaulted on a loan he had taken from a commercial bank last October. He was desperate for cash, since the guarantor for the loan was constantly pestering him.
Since he was aware that Baksh known as ‘Sugar Cake’ usually carried large amounts of cash to do his business, Boodhoo decided to target him.
He told investigators that he contacted the money changer and told him that he knew two people who wanted to change large amounts of foreign currency and he was willing to take Baksh to them at Number 64 Village on the Corentyne.
The suspect left and then rented a car for $3,000 after arranging to pick up the money changer to take him to the “clients”.
However, when he picked up Baksh, he told him about a slight change in the arrangement; instead of meeting the clients at Number 64 village, they were to meet them at the Number 63 Beach.
“He tell the man that the people were afraid to do such a large transaction in the open out of fear of being targeted by bandits,” this newspaper was told.

Suspect Phileman Boodhoo, called Kevin

The money changer who never suspected anything close to what Boodhoo had in his mind, complied with the new arrangement.
At the beach, both Boodhoo and Baksh exited the car and began walking towards where they were supposed to meet the persons who wanted to change foreign currency.
“He said that the money changer was walking in front and he was looking around for a piece of wood to lash him in his head to carry out his plan,” a source close to the investigation revealed.
Boodhoo eventually found the wood and dealt the 56-year old money changer several blows to his head, causing him to collapse to the ground.
Boodhoo then rummaged through the mortally wounded man’s pockets and removed all the cash he had before returning to the rented car.
He counted the money and found it to be $600,000.
Boodhoo then returned the car, even tipping the owner an extra thousand dollars.
He subsequently bought a ticket to Trinidad after putting some of the cash in a local bank.
After the money changer was reported missing suspicion immediately fell on Boodhoo, but by then he had already fled the jurisdiction.
After Baksh’s body was found 48 hours after he had disappeared, police issued a wanted bulletin for the suspect.
While on the run, Boodhoo reportedly contacted his mother, and despite telling her that he is innocent, he vowed to turn himself in.
Shamyela Boodhoo had told Kaieteur News that her son did contact her from an unknown number.
“He said ‘Hi Mom, I innocent (and) I coming,’ and I say, ‘Where are you?’ and the phone cut off.” Mrs. Boodhoo said that she did inform the police about the call.
This newspaper was unable to ascertain when Boodhoo returned to Guyana and if he voluntarily turned himself in.
Police in Berbice are now putting the finishing touches to their file on the matter and they will be seeking advice from the Director of Public Prosecution on the way forward.