An elderly Bush Lot businessman and his wife were chopped to death during the wee hours of yesterday morning and one of the four persons held by police has since confessed to his involvement the crime.
Dead are Arthur Doodnauth Rajkumar, 81, called ‘Uncle Arthur,’ and his common-law wife, Diane Chamanlall, 45, who were viciously attacked at their of Lot 93A, Middle Walk Dam, Bush Lot village, West Coast Berbice home.
A police statement said Rajkumar and Chamanlall were found with multiple chop wounds about their bodies. They were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital, where Rajkumar was pronounced dead on arrival and Chamanlall succumbed while receiving medical attention.
Stabroek News was told that after police ranks were summoned to the couple’s home around 3am, three men were seen jumping over a fence from the premises as lawmen approached.
The police gave chase but the men managed to escape. However, with the help of public-spirited citizens, they received additional information that led to their apprehension of the four men in custody.
A source explained that the suspects are well known to the deceased, who operated an ice cream parlour, a pool shop and a stationery store from their residence. Rajkumar was also a well-known mechanic in the West Berbice area.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News that one of the men has confessed to being a part of the murder.
The suspect, Blanhum said, was found at home in the bath with clothes that were soaked to be washed.
A source close to investigation told Stabroek News that investigators saw the bucket of clothing and upon investigating they found spots of blood on the clothing. The source stated that when the police questioned the suspect, he said that he had just returned from sea. The father of the suspect was also taken into police custody.
A villager told Stabroek News that around 2.20am he heard muffled screams emanating from the couple’s house. As a result, villagers went to the house but it was locked.
The villager stated that persons jumped on to the verandah, from where they spotted men in the house. The villager said police were alerted and later chased after the men.
It was noted that since there was no visible point of entry, it is suspected that the men entered the premises during business hours and hid themselves.
A villager said that from all indications the men were in the house for several hours as they appeared to have eaten snacks and drank beers in the house.
As the news of the murders spread across the county yesterday, many citizens expressed disgust at the rising crime rate.
At the couple’s home yesterday, family members were in shock as they never expected them to meet such gruesome ends.
The walls of the living room and a bedroom were covered in blood stains. Rugs on the floor were also covered in blood and the entire house was ransacked.
Rajkumar is survived by his four children, who are overseas, while Chamanlall is survived by a daughter who is also overseas.
