A suspect in the murder of fisherman Quincy Sooklall was among the 28 persons that were arrested after police early yesterday morning carried out raids in Albouystown, Alberttown, Sophia, Meadowbank, Charlestown and West Ruimveldt Front Road area.
Also among the 23 men and five women arrested was Lawrence Rodrigues, 27, of Light Street, Alberttown, who police say was sentenced to four years imprisonment in June, following an Ex Parte trial on charges of possession of firearm without licence and possession of ammunition without licence.
Police, in a statement on the arrests, said they were made pending investigations into possession of narcotics, armed robbery, breaking and entering and larceny. In addition, a .25 starter pistol was recovered in Albouystown.
The arrest of the suspect in Sooklall’s murder came a week after an autopsy was performed on his decomposing remains.
Sooklall’s body was fished from the Demerara River, behind the Guyana Fisheries, on August 3, with visible marks of violence and what was later confirmed as a gunshot wound through his chest. He had gone missing two days prior.
His mother Petronella Sooklall had said the body was in such a state of decomposition that she was only able to identify her only child from his feet and clothing that he had been wearing.
The woman said that it appeared that her son was severely beaten and thrown overboard possibly already dead or unconscious, with his hands and feet bound.
The autopsy was performed only Friday last due to delays in paperwork. It was revealed then that the young man died from a gunshot wound to his chest.
His mother said that it seemed that a high-calibre gun was used to do the killing as the wound made by the shot was huge both at the entry and exit points on her son’s body.
The female Sooklall said that up to late last evening she was not aware of any arrests pertaining to her son’s death.
