DPP re-charges duo for Henry boys’ murders

Aug 06, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, S.C, has discontinued Isaiah Henry’s murder charge against Anil Sancharra and Vinod Gopaul, and has filed a new joint murder charge against the duo.

Vinod Gopaul.

Anil Sancharra, 34, called “Dan Pole” and “Rasta,” of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, and Vinod Gopaul, 30, called “Magga,” of Yakasari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, were yesterday re-charged for the murder of Isaiah and Joel Henry.
The new joint charge comes almost one-month after Magistrate, Peter Hugh, discharged Isaiah’s murder matter against Sancharra and Gopaul citing that there was no admissible evidence of murder established against the two-named accused. Attorney-at-law, Dexter Todd, who is representing the two, had argued that the State had not presented evidence of murder against Gopaul and Sancharra.
Magistrate Hugh, later ruled in support of Todd’s argument. However, the men had remained on remand pending the outcome of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the murder of Joel Henry, Isaiah’s cousin. The court had set to commence the PI of Joel Henry’s death on Tuesday August 10, 2021.

Anil Sancharra.

Following Magistrate Hugh’s decision to discharge Isaiah’s murder against the duo, the DPP had contended that there is sufficient evidence in the case. She has since discontinued Joel’s murder charge against the duo and re-charged them jointly for the murder of both Joel and Isaiah Henry, whose mutilated bodies were discovered in Cotton Tree Village backdam, West Coast Berbice, last year.
The matter was yesterday heard via Zoom at Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court. The indictable charge was only read to Sancharra since Gopaul was not present. The matter was adjourned to August 10, 2021, and transferred to the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court when the charge is expected to be read to Gopaul.
Isaiah and Joel were murdered between September 5, 2020, and September 6, 2020. The bodies of the two teens were found dumped in the Cotton Tree backdam last year, and earlier this year three men were arrested and charged for their murders.
The third accused, Akash Singh, 20, called “Monkey,” a fisherman of Zeelugt Squatting Area, East Bank Essequibo, was charged separately for the murders; his stepbrother, Gopaul, and Sancharra were jointly charged. Prior to the court proceedings, police had indicated that they secured a confession and it was on those grounds that the men were charged.

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