Two fishermen were yesterday charged with the murder of Corentyne boat captain Mahadeo Ramdial, who drowned after a pirate attack two weeks ago, while the brother of one of the accused was charged with aiding and abetting them during police investigations.
Khemraj Naraisan, 38, of 108 ‘B’ Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice and Doodnauth Singh, 51, of 348 Fifth Street, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, were not required to plead to the indictable charge of murder when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
The fishermen were read a charge which stated that on May 16, between Tain and Rose Hall Town River, they murdered Ramdial during the course of a robbery.
Singh’s brother, Davanand Singh, 57, of Lot 5 Portuguese Quarters, Berbice, was charged with aiding and abetting the two men. The charge against him stated that knowing that Singh and Naraisan had murdered Ramdial, he received, relieved and comforted them.
Davanand Singh was also not given the chance to plead to the charge, which was indictable.
Attorney Chandra Sohan, who represented the men, sought bail for Davanand, whom he said was not a flight risk. He further told the court that it was Davanand who had helped rescue the two survivors from the river after the attack on Ramdial and his crew.
However, Police Prosecutor Arvin Moore strongly objected to Davanand being granted bail, while arguing that the accused, who is also a fisherman on the high seas, can easily escape through a back-track route to neighbouring Suriname.
As a result, Chief Magistrate McLennan later remanded the three men to prison and adjourned their matter until June 5, when it will be called again at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.
Ramdial, also known as “Chico,” of Lot 146 Kilcoy Squatting Area, along with two-other fishermen, Arjune Permaul, 45, of Kilcoy Squatting Area and Permanand Nandan, 21, of Lot 103 Tain Settlement, Corentyne, had
been fishing in the Corentyne River when they were attacked by suspected pirates. After the men were beaten and their catch and a boat engine were taken, the suspects threw them overboard. Ramdial later drowned while struggling to swim ashore with his crewmates.
