The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has recommended murder charges for three suspects, including a former murder accused who was captured yesterday, in the deaths of elderly Bush Lot businessman Arthur Doodnauth Rajkumar and his common-law wife Diane Chamanlall.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Stabroek News yesterday that the three suspects, Neeman Rafeek, of Bush Lot New Scheme, Berbice, fisherman Gokun Mandanpaul, 18, and former murder accused Rooplall Abrahim, 24, of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice will be charged jointly for the murders.
Madanpaul and Rafeek were captured separately on Saturday after the fatal attack on the couple and police have said they confessed their involvement in the crime as well as in the robbery and arson at Hope in which Anita Baichan was burned to death.
Abrahim was apprehended yesterday at Number 4 Village, West Coast Berbice, and police say he also confessed to both crimes. During a confession to the murder of the couple, one of the men reportedly told investigators that he and the other suspects gained entry into the couple’s Lot 93A Middle Walk Dam, Bush Lot Village house through a door which was left open.
The men were familiar with the premises since they would frequent the ice cream parlour, pool shop and stationery store that the couple operated there.
The men chopped the couple multiple times since they demanded money but the elderly man and his wife did not hand over anything. A source said that after the men demanded cash, they were told by the couple that they did not have any. One of the men then responded, ‘How y’all gon’ get shop and don’t have money?” The incensed men then continuously chopped the couple. As they packed items, the police arrived at the scene and the men scaled the fence and escaped.
The police had said in a statement that 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.
While advice was only sought on the men’s involvement in the double murder, the file on the murder of Baichan is expected to be sent today for legal advice.
Apart from the men’s reported confessions, this newspaper was told that a ski-mask found in the couple’s house matched a mask found at the scene after the attack on Baichan.
