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Henry Boys’ Trial… Akash Singh recounts being threatened, forced to help chop boys
(Kaieteur News) – Akash Singh, a key witness in the ongoing trial for the murdered Henry cousins, took the stand on Tuesday, giving the court a grim account of September 5, 2020, when Isaiah and Joel Henry met their gruesome deaths.
State prosecutor Marisa Edwards sought Singh’s testimony against the two accused, Anil Sanchara 39, called ‘Magga’ of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, and Vinood Gopaul, 35, called ‘Dan Pole’ and ‘Rasta’, of Yakasari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, who are being represented by attorney Dexter Todd and Associates.
Isaiah and Joel Henry
Singh himself, now 26, was apprehended for the murder which sent ripples across the country back in 2020, and remains in police custody. Upon examination by the prosecutor, he stated that Sanchara is his brother, and that he became acquainted with Gopaul through his brother, as they used to “plant weed.”
He noted that Gopaul and Sanchara back then had informed him of plans to tend to their weed farm located at Cotton Tree, and invited him to be part of their operation. In August, 2020, Singh said that he and the two men journeyed to the location and set up camp. Having successfully completed their planting, the trio left, and would return three weeks later to find the plants destroyed by gramoxone. This infuriated Gopaul and Sanchara, who vowed that “somebody got to pay for it,” according to Singh.
He then told the court that on September 5, 2020, he had awakened to the two men having an exchange with the Henry cousins on what had transpired on the farm. Singh said that Isaiah and Joel were laughing, which further angered Gopaul, who then chopped the tallest of the two cousins to his neck with a “22 cutlass. Sanchara, he said, followed Gopaul and chopped the other cousin. “It was nuff chops,” Singh stated.
As he was a witness, Singh said he was ordered to take a cutlass and etch an x mark on one of the boys’ faces.
Describing what seemed as scenes from a horror film, Singh told the court that the two men then tied the boys to horses and dragged them from the farm.
After the ordeal, the accused and Singh washed themselves and discarded their bloodstained clothing. Singh told the court that upon returning home at Yakasari, he informed his sister of what happened, but was not taken seriously. Shortly after, He said he was forced to leave with the two men, under threats that the same fate of the Henry boys would be his should he refuse.
On January 9, 2021, Singh disclosed that he along with Gopaul was arrested. He noted that he cooperated with the police and took them to the scene of the crime, where he confessed what transpired.
Under cross examination by the defense, Singh confirmed being charged for murder, and his six-year imprisonment. Attorney Dexter Todd sought responses to several critical questions, but Singh would mainly state his inability to recall.
Singh’s chilling testimony was given on day four of witness hearing at the Berbice High Court, in the high-profile case presided over by Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall. The matter continues on Wednesday.
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