The prime suspect in the fatal New Year’s Day beating of Cane Grove cane harvester Deokumar Basdeo has managed to flee to the United States.
This was confirmed by Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who told Stabroek News yesterday that the Guyana Police Force has since contacted Interpol to seek assistance in locating the man.
In the meantime, Blanhum said, police are still trying to intercept the other persons who were said to be part of the gang that attacked Basdeo last Friday evening.
Basdeo, called “Buddy” and “Kevin,” of Lot 77 Cane Grove Sawaya, East Coast Demerara was left on the roadway in Cane Grove after a gang of seven men attacked him as he made his way home from a lime. They dealt him several blows about his body—mostly to the head—with a piece of wood. He was taken to the Mahaicony Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he succumbed hours later.
Basdeo’s wife, Ranjeeta Baig, had told this newspaper that it was unclear why the men would want to take her husband’s life. She, however, noted that she had learned that Basdeo had earlier in the day been drinking and gambling at a shop near his home and had won a large amount of money. “I hear he win nuff money and I don’t know if them boy went there playing and see too or they receive information but if you see how them beat he,” Baig said.
A post-mortem examination performed on the remains of Basdeo yesterday found that he died as a result of brain haemorrhaging.
