Two witnesses have so far given evidence in the preliminary inquiry (PI) into the 2006 murders of former minister of agriculture Satyadeow Sawh, his siblings and security guard, which is being heard at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Yohannseh Cave.
Jermaine `Skinny’ Charles and David Leander, called ‘Biscuit’, are charged with the April 22 murders.
Stabroek News was told that the prosecution still has about ten more witness to take the stand to give evidence.
The matter will continue on June 20.
The two are charged with the murders of Sawh, his siblings Rajpat Sawh, Phulmattie Persaud and Curtis Robinson, a security guard. The brutal slaying occurred at Sawh’s La Bonne Intention (LBI) home.
Charles was first charged on December 20, 2006 while the murder charges were read to Leander in early November last year.
The two along with four others were named in a 2006 police bulletin as being wanted in connection with investigations into the murders.
Reports are that around 12.15 am on April 22, seven masked men dressed in military fatigues invaded the minister’s home and riddled him, his siblings and security guard with bullets.
According to reports, Sawh’s wife Sattie and his brother Omprakash were in the kitchen when they saw a masked gunman looking at them through a window. The minister who was in his hammock on the veranda was alerted but before he could scamper to safety, he was riddled with bullets. He collapsed just inside his front door.
Omprakash hid his sister Phulmattie underneath a bed but the gunmen found her and after dragging her out, shot her in the face.
The gunmen, according to reports, turned their guns on the minister and placed Omprakash on top of Rajpat. After Omprakash had handed over $23,000, a watch and a digital camera, the gunmen turned to leave but then fired at them, fatally injuring Rajpat.
Robinson was shot dead before he could have gone to the assistance of those inside the house.
Charles also has an additional eight murder charges in the Magistrate’s Court including the slaying of five Kaieteur News pressmen in 2006.
