…as August off to a bloody start
Seven persons were murdered during the first six days in August, according to reports emanating from the Guyana Police Force, among them two miners, who were killed at a mining site at Blackwater Backdam.
August got off to a ‘bloody’ start in the capital city – Georgetown – when a 32-year-old hot dog vendor was found dead behind the Sleepin Hotel at around 6:00hrs on August 1.
The dead man identified as 32-year-old Ilan Antonio Singh was a Venezuelan national who was residing at Lot 5 North Road, Bourda, Georgetown at the time of his demise.
Police investigation has since revealed that the Venezuelan nation was last seen alive at around 00:30hrs on August 1, when he was heading to a party at the Rio Club, located at Forshaw Street, Queenstown. At the time, he was walking.
At around 6:00hrs on August 1, a maintenance worker at the Sleepin Hotel discovered Singh’s body lying in the alleyway. The body was examined and what appeared to be wounds were seen to his head along with bruises on his knees, right hand and his left shoulder. The body was transferred to GPHC where he was confirmed dead.
That very day, another body found was seen floating in a Mocha Arcadia canal on the East Bank of Demerara.
According to the Guyana Police Force, the body of 63-year-old Joseph Curt, a labourer of Lot 122 Prospect, Mocha, was discovered floating in a canal at around 10:30hrs on August 1. The body was seen floating westwards along the Mocha Access Road Canal in the vicinity of 4th Bridge, the police reported.
“A public-spirited citizen assisted and pulled up the body onto the southern bank of the canal where it was observed that swellings were seen around the left eye and the head,” the police said in a statement.
The middle aged man was described as an alcoholic, who provided handyman services for people in the Mocha community. The body was identified by his sister Marva Light before being taken to Memorial Gardens crematorium. By August 2, another person had gotten murdered, this time, a 21-year-old mechanic of Dennis Street, Georgetown.
The young man identified as Jaleel Leow was killed in B Field Sophia at around 17:50hrs on August 2.
The Police Force, in a statement, said investigation revealed that Felicia Thom, a female shopkeeper of Lot 703 ‘B’ Field Sophia, East Coast Demerara, was liming in the company of her partner 20-year-old Nigel Williams, Leow, another mechanic by the name of Brandon Smith and two other friends when they were approached by the two suspects, who were on bicycles.
“The suspects both dismounted and the one who was armed with two cutlasses went up to Felicia and said ‘is problem you want.’ Felicia responded in the negative and herself and party began to walk away into her yard,” the police reported.
Even as Thom and her friends walked away, the other suspect pulled out a handgun from his pants waist and walked up to the now dead man and discharged two rounds which struck him to his right upper back.
Leow fell to the ground. The gunman discharged two more rounds at him on the ground hitting him to his upper chest. Leow got up and ran to the back of the yard where he collapsed.
“The shooter then fired another shot at Brandon Smith who was standing by the road side, which grazed him to his right upper hand; but he fled the scene,” the police further reported. The shooter and his accomplice then mounted their bicycles and made good their escape. Leow was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital by Felicia Thom where he was pronounced dead.
By August 3, another man was found dead, this time, at Nouvelle Flanders Koker, West Coast Demerara. The body, which was unidentified at the time, was discovered by villagers lying face down in a decomposed state floating in the koker. The police were summoned and ranks from the Vreed-En-Hoop Police Station responded and fished the body out of the water. The body was then escorted to the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour to await identification.
Also on August 3, an overseas-based Guyanese, Hemraj Pardessi, who was visiting Guyana, was killed at Reliance Settlement East Canje, Berbice. A number of persons have since been held of his murder.
Initial reports indicate that the 60-year-old man had returned to Guyana in July 2021, and was living alone at his Reliance Settlement home at the time of the murder. He was last seen alive and well by his nephew on the on the very day he died.
Police, who responded to the crime scene discovered the body of Hemraj Pardessi lying face down with what appears to be blood coming from his nose. He had duct tape wrapped around his neck.
Several traces of what appears to be blood was seen on the step leading to the upper flat. The entire upper flat of the house was ransacked.
Days later, a double murder occurred at Blackwater Backdam. The Guyana Police Force, in a statement said the double murder occurred between August 4 and August 5 at Blackwater Backdam, Cuyuni River.
The dead men have been identified as 62-year-old Suresh Bachan and 31-year-old Steven Niles a, Security Guard.
Initial investigation revealed that the two men were employed at a mining operation in Blackwater Backdam.
“About 18:00hrs on 2021-08-04 after completion of the day’s operation the two deceased remained at the work ground where they stayed in separate camps about 100 meters apart. About 06:00 hours on 2021/08/05 the General Manger of the mining camp and several of his workers arrived at the work ground and discovered Niles and Bachan dead in their hammocks,” the police reported.
Bachan’s body was found lying on a make shift bed with a mattress on his back while Niles’ body was found in a hammock lying on his back. The suspect(s) stole one AR 15 firearm and the top mat from the sluice box.
Investigations in all the murders that took place during the first six days of August are ongoing.
