The police in both Guyana and Suriname yesterday confirmed to Stabroek News, that they are still investigating the execution-style killing of a Suriname rice dealer whose body was found in January on the No 63 Beach, Corentyne.
The body of Nitender Oemrawsingh, 40, of Corantijn Polder, Nickerie District, Suriname, was found on the Number 63 Beach on Monday, January 14, with a single gunshot to the head and clad in a blue armless shirt, black trousers, a pair of socks and boots.
A post-mortem examination which was carried out at the Skeldon Public Hospital mortuary by Government Pathologist, Dr Vivekanand Bridgemohan, gave the cause of the man’s death as shock and haemorrhage due to a gunshot wound and laceration of the brain.
A police source had told this newspaper that based on the gunshot injury, it is suspected that a .32 pistol was used to shoot the man in the middle of his forehead. The source also stated that he was either pursued from Suriname to Guyana or a contract killer here did the job.
Commander of ‘B’ Division, Paul Langevine yesterday stressed, that the investigation is still ongoing into the man’s murder. Asked whether there has been any sort of breakthrough, Langevine repeatedly said, “Nothing new.”
In addition he stated that his investigators are in communication with the police in Suriname, “and if they get anything there they share with us, nothing new.”
Meanwhile, a senior police source in Suriname yesterday told this newspaper that their investigation into the man’s murder also remains ongoing.
Just prior to being killed here, Oemrawsingh had been linked to the largest drug bust in his country. Surinamese media had reported that at least 2,300 kilogrammes (5,070 pounds) of cocaine had been found. The news agencies in Suriname also reported that the seizure was made at the Jules Sedney Port in Paramaribo, after the discovery was made by the port security during one of their routine control checks.
The Suriname source noted yesterday that so far, some 10 persons have been arrested and charged in relation to the drug bust. The source said, “They are charged and being prosecuted.” and added, “This is just the beginning stage because investigations are still ongoing.”
Oemrawsingh’s uncle, who had ventured to Guyana to identify his body, had stated that he last spoke to his nephew on Friday, January 11, “Me talk to he Friday normal,” the uncle said, while noting that the man never indicated to him that he was in any sort of trouble.
The uncle who was somewhat reluctant to speak with media operatives in Guyana, had also relayed that his nephew was never arrested in Suriname but rather he had presented himself for questioning. “He been deh drive and do he business as normal. He was never arrested, he did go for questioning and that is it. Nickerie is shocked that is all I can tell you,” the grieving uncle had said.
However Suriname’s Acting Chief of Police, Roberto Prade, had said that Oemrawsingh was not questioned by police in Suriname, as he had pointed to official records which supported this claim. He had noted that investigators were expected to question the man. He had suggested too, that the supposed questioning could have been done by “dirty cops”.
This would have suggested that it could have been “dirty cops” who would have questioned Oemrawsingh and learnt that he was about to provide police with vital information that would have led to the arrest of influential persons in Suriname who allegedly have a stake in the drug smuggling business.
Oemrawsingh’s lawyer, Irwin Kanhai, had told Suriname media that his client had not fled Suriname after he was wanted for questioning, and was expected to turn himself over for questioning one day after he was discovered dead.
Meanwhile, the uncle had further noted that he believes the investigation was for Guyana’s lawmen, since he was of the opinion that the killer may be from Guyana, as he could not comprehend why a Surinamese would have wanted to murder his nephew, who he said had been helping the lesser fortunate in his country for years now.
He stressed that his nephew was a well-known philanthropist in Suriname. “He does look after everybody, from old to young, everybody,” the man said, as he stood outside the mortuary where the post-mortem examination was being carried out on his nephew’s body.
The father of two was the proprietor of Nivash Rice, a milling company in Suriname.
