6 on remand for murder, 1 for manslaughter

Apr 10, 2022 News

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The Court Journal…

By Renay Sambach

Kaieteur News – For many Guyanese, and even people across the world, life is becoming increasingly difficult. In fact, for many, their level of tolerance has decreased, a state of affairs, some commentators believe, is causing our society to become especially violent – in essence, amicable resolution to a matter is often disregarded.

On January 16, last, I wrote that six men were charged with the capital offence of murder while one was charged with manslaughter.
Today, I will share with you the details of these cases that were brought before the courts. The persons who were killed are: 16-year-old Isaiah Smith, 69-year-old Pitamber Sharma, 43-year-old Rafael Antonio Aquino Soto, 21-year-old Lakhan Chaterpal, 25-year-old Leon Gittens, 30-year-old Chavez Mangal and Moses Anthony.

MURDER
The first matter is the recent stabbing of a 16-year-old boy who was killed reportedly over sitting on a man’s bench. As such, on April 7, last, a 45-year-old labourer was charged for the capital offence of murder and was remanded to prison.
The defendant, Lenny Fraser, was not required to plead to the indictable charge which states that on April 4, 2022, at Hogg Street and Independence Boulevard, Georgetown, he murdered Isaiah Smith.

Fraser had appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He was remanded to prison and is expected to return to court on the April 28, 2022.
According to reports, Fraser is accused of stabbing Isaiah Smith, a 16-year-old boy to death for refusing to move from his premises. Smith’s friends, who witnessed him being killed, recalled that it took place around 14:55hrs. They had been sitting together with him on a bench situated on the eastern side of the suspect’s home.
Fraser allegedly came out and ordered them to move but Smith refused and was allegedly slapped by the suspect. A scuffle reportedly ensued between the two during which the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife from his pants waist and stabbed Smith to his abdomen. Smith then reportedly turned and ran but collapsed a short a distance away.
On Wednesday, April 6, last, Michael Sooklall, 49, a manager with BK Quarries located along the Mazaruni River, Region Seven, was remanded for allegedly killing his colleague, a 69-year-old truck driver at their worksite.
Sooklall made his court appearance at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Crystal Lambert. He was charged with the murder of Pitamber Sharma of Independence Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara (WBD).

He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and is expected to make his next court appearance on April 27, 2022.
According to reports, Sooklall was one of two persons detained by police after an autopsy had revealed that Sharma was strangled. Sharma was reportedly killed after 18:00hrs on Wednesday last and his body dumped into the Mazaruni River. His remains were found around 07:20hrs, the following day.
Sooklall while in police custody reportedly confessed to killing Sharma.

He reportedly told investigators that Sharma had threatened to complain to their superiors that he (the manager) was not doing his job properly.
Sooklall, in his confession, said that he was afraid that if Sharma complained, then most likely he would be replaced by him (Sharma).
Angered at the fact that he might lose his position, the manager admitted that he attacked Sharma and choked him to death. After Sharma died, he then dragged his body and dumped it into the river.
In another matter, a 20-year-old man was remanded to prison for allegedly killing a Venezuelan national on February 11, 2022 during a drunken brawl over a woman.
The defendant was identified as Keron Williams, 20, also known as Virgil of Baramita, North West District, Region One. He is accused of murdering Rafael Antonio Aquino Soto, 43, along a trail at Baramita.

Williams was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge that was read to him.
According to reports, Soto was reportedly killed for offering Williams’ girlfriend a drop on his ATV.
Soto and his alleged killer had reportedly started drinking at a bar earlier on the evening of February 10 and had stopped drinking during the wee hours of the following day. The suspect reportedly decided to leave with a female, however, there was reportedly an issue between the two.
At some point, the Venezuelan national reportedly decided to intervene and offered the young lady a drop on his bike. Police had told Kaieteur News that the request he made for the “girl” to travel with him infuriated the suspect. There was an exchange of words between them and the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Soto to the left side of his chest before escaping. Soto fell and reportedly bled to death right next to his ATV.
The suspect had been on the run and was finally captured on March 8, 2022, after hiding out in the Big Creek Backdam located miles away from Baramita.
Also in March, a 26-year-old man made his first court appearance in the No.51 Magistrate Court in relation to a murder charge.

Eon Gonsalves called “Belly” of Grant 1802, Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne, Berbice appeared before Magistrate Alex Moore where the charge was read to him.
The charge states that Gonsalves murdered 21-year-old Lakhan Chaterpal on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 at Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice.
Gonsalves, who was unrepresented, was not required to plead to the indictable charge and bail was denied.
He was remanded to prison until May 31, 2022 when he is expected to appear at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.
Reports from the police detailed that Lakhan had returned to Guyana from the USA to attend his brother’s wedding which was held on March 6, 2022.
However, two days later, there was a family event at which three men, who are not related to them, entered the yard where the wedding was being held (Grant 1802 CWC). They were asked to leave by relatives after they reportedly began using an illegal substance. The men reportedly became annoyed and decided to damage the vehicles that were parked a short distance away.
This caused Lakhan and other relatives to venture out and confront the men and an argument ensued. At some point, there was a scuffle and Lakhan was stabbed to the lower abdomen.

The men escaped and he was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Police had arrested two persons including Gonsalves but the prime suspect has not been located to date.
Also in March, a 28-year-old man who was arrested for the murder of a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) medex, who was stabbed to death during a brawl at his sister’s wedding, was remanded to prison for the offence.
The defendant, Nizam Persaud, a mason of Good Hope Squatting area, East Coast Demerara (ECD), made his first court appearance at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore where the capital charge of murder was read to him.
Persaud was not required to plead to the charge, which alleges that on March 13, last, at Lot 143 Phase Two, Good Hope, ECD he murdered 30-year-old Chavez Mangal.

Magistrate Azore remanded the young man to prison and the matter was adjourned to May 13, 2022 for statements.
It was reported that on the night of March 13, 2022, the fatal stabbing was perpetrated by a group of uninvited guests.
According to reports, Mangal’s younger sister had gotten married that day and it was at the groom’s residence that Mangal was allegedly stabbed.
One of the dead man’s sisters told Kaieteur News that while everyone was enjoying themselves, there was a group of young men who were picking trouble with some girls on the dance floor. She related that the young men are from the Good Hope area but they were not invited to the wedding.
“There were these young guys, there by the music set drinking and touching girls as they dance,” the woman related. According to her, it was one of her cousins and the young men who had an altercation after that.
The woman said when the fight broke out, the men started to pelt beer bottles at each other, causing the guests at the wedding to run and hide. Kaieteur News was told that Mangal was stabbed while trying to be a peacemaker between his cousin and the group of young men.
After he got stabbed, he reportedly ran into the kitchen where he collapsed, and it was one of his sisters that discovered that he was injured and rushed him to the hospital.
A police report stated that it was a suspect, who was at the DJ booth at the time that pulled a knife from his waist and stabbed the GDF rank to his right upper chest.
Similar to what Mangal’s sister told this newspaper, the police reported that the four young men had armed themselves with glass bottles and had thrown the bottles at the building, after which they ran away.
The report also states that the 24-year-old DJ, who had exited the yard during the commotion, was confronted by one of the suspects who chopped him to his left hand and robbed him of a Mac Pro Book laptop computer valued some $130,000. The injured DJ was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he was examined and admitted.
According to police, Mangal, who was rushed to the Dr. Balwant Singh Hospital, succumbed to his injuries around 01:00hrs on Monday, March 14, last.

It was reported that Persaud was arrested about five houses away from where the incident occurred. According to reports, he was searched and ranks found two knives and a scissors in his pants waist. The suspect had visible injuries to his forehead, left hand and body. He was questioned about his injuries and reportedly told police that he was at the wedding house and was attacked.
The three other suspects involved in the brawl are still in hiding and investigations are ongoing.
It was in February of this year, Shurwayne Brandt, the suspect who allegedly disguised as a woman to kill his son-in-law was on remanded to prison for the offence.
Brandt is accused of murdering Leon Gittens, 25, on Friday, February 18, at a house located in East La Penitence, Georgetown.
He appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate, Ann McLennan.
Brandt was not required to plead to the indictable charge after it was read to him.
According to reports, Brandt was captured at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport, Ogle, East Coast of Demerara (ECD), two days after his son-in-law was killed. He was at the time waiting to board a plane to Barbados.
It is alleged that around midnight on the day in question, a man dressed in a wig and dress was an intruder in his daughter’s house located at East La Penitence, Georgetown, and shot Gittens three times.
MANSLAUGHTER
In March, a man was slapped with a manslaughter charge for alleg

edly killing his brother, Moses Anthony, with a piece of broken tile during a brawl at their home, which is located at Third Street, Alberttown, Georgetown.
The defendant, Richard Anthony, was not required to plead to the indictable charge after he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

According to reports, Richard reportedly killed his younger brother, Moses, a baker around 21:00hrs on the day in question.
It was reported that when cops arrived at the scene, Moses’ bloodied remains were found lying in an alleyway leading to their home.
Before tragedy struck, Moses had been drinking and had arrived home “high”. It was reported that this caused him to start an argument with his brother over an old grievance, which they had.

They subsequently began fighting in the house. It was described as a “cuff out”.
During the fight, Richard found a piece of broken tile and stabbed Moses to his neck.
The fight continued and they reportedly moved to the yard. They stopped for a few seconds and Moses reportedly walked out to the alleyway where he collapsed and died.

 

 

 

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