While two men have already been charged with the murder of beautician Ashmini Harriram, two other suspects were freed due to insufficient evidence to charge them.
Commissioner of Police (ag) Seelall Persaud, responding to enquiries by Stabroek News, said the two other suspects fingered in Harriram’s execution-style killing were not charged because the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions only advised charges to be instituted against two of the four suspects, based on the evidence. However, Persaud said investigations are still being conducted in the case.
The murder occurred around 11:15 am on July 10, a short distance from Harriram’s home. Harriram, 18, and her cousin were heading east along the Lugisnan Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara, when a burgundy-coloured car passed and stopped ahead of them. Harriram, it was said, was hurrying home to tend to a client’s hair when a man exited the car and grabbed her cellphone before shooting her in the head. The shooter subsequently escaped in the waiting car.
Relatives have proclaimed the innocence of a family member held in connection with the teenager’s killing. During an interview with this publication, a relative had stated that the arrested family member is completely innocent and has no known connections with any of the other suspects. The speculation that drugs might have been a motive behind Harriram’s killing was also dismissed by relatives.
On Monday, Lennox Wayne, also known as ‘Two Colours’, 29, of 1308 Diamond Housing Scheme and Melroy Doris, 26, of Bent Street, Wortmanville, were both charged with Harriram’s murder.
Wayne, a drum instructor at the Magic Fingers Drumming School, who told the court that he had been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on a robbery charge and Doris, a taxi driver, were not required to plead at their arraignment before Magistrate Zamilla Ally at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court.
