The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) today discontinued the charge laid against two of the three men accused of murdering Joel Henry, and advised that fresh charge be laid.
“A fresh joint charge for both Joel and Isaiah Henry has been laid,” the Guyana Police Force said on Thursday.
Magistrate Peter Hugh had freed Vinod Gopaul and Anil Sanchara of the murder of Isaiah Henry, however, hours after that decision, the DPP insisted that there was sufficient evidence against the men.
In a statement approximately four weeks ago, the DPP’s chambers said Magistrate Peter Hugh was written to requesting the documents taken at the Preliminary Inquiry into the case of the Police vs Vinod Gopaul and Anil Sancharia.
At the time, the DPP said it was trying to ascertain why the accused were discharged.
The Magistrate made the ruling at the end of a preliminary inquiry into the murder charge against Sanchara and Gopaul.
Thirty four year -old Anil Sancharra, called “Dan pole” and “Rasta,” of D’ Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB); and 30-year-old Vinod Gopaul, called “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice had been accused of murdering Isiah Henry between September 5, 2020, and September 6, 2020, at Cotton Tree Backdam, WCB.
At the end of the PI held remotely and in his ruling Hugh said:” The Police have failed to provide any admissible evidence that these two men did indeed kill Isaiah Henry as such the charge against them is discharged.
The badly mutilated bodies of Isaiah Henry, 16, and Joel Henry, 19 both of Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB)were found dumped in a clump of bushes in the backlands of Cotton Tree Village on Sunday afternoon September 6th 2020 after they failed to return home from a trip into the forested area the day before.
Both bodies bore several ‘chop wounds’. Isaiah had the letter ‘X’ carved on the back of his head and forehead, while Joel’s chest was cut open, exposing his organs.
