A New Amsterdam man was yesterday morning found dead with stab wounds in the lower region of his back, which were reportedly sustained during a fight.
Dead is Delroy James, 33, of Patrick Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam. His body was discovered sometime around 3:30 am yesterday on Main Street, New Amsterdam. In 2011, he had been charged with murder but the charge was dismissed the following year.
Stabroek News was told that James, a labourer, left home with two persons known to him on Saturday evening. According to information, the men were club-hopping and subsequently arrived at a popular bar on Main Street.
During the drinking spree, an argument broke out between them and several men, which led to a scuffle. It is suspected that it was then that James was stabbed. It is not clear what happened subsequently but he was pronounced dead on arrival at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
The police yesterday said that suspects have been arrested and are assisting with the investigation.
James’ mother was inconsolable yesterday.
James, called ‘Slant Eye’, was no stranger to the courts. In January 2011, he was remanded to prison after he was charged with murder at the Reliance Magistrate’s court. It was alleged that on Saturday, January 1, 2011, he murdered wash-bay attendant Seon Craig during a robbery at Mars Gas Station & Variety Store, Snackette/Beer Garden.
Police had said that around 00:30 hours on New Year’s Day in 2011, James, who was armed with a gun, robbed businessman Michael Mars and his wife Joan of over $500,000. During the robbery, Craig was shot in the chest while another wash-bay attendant, Wade McDonald, was grazed in the head by the same bullet. The robbery was carried out by two unmasked men, who posed as customers. James was arrested later that day and subsequently charged.
The charge was dismissed in 2012.
Prior to that, in April 2010, James was released from prison after serving an eight-year sentence for armed robbery and unlawful arms and ammunition possession.
Following the dismissal of the murder change, meanwhile, James was in and out of prison on possession and other charges. Last year, he was one of the inmates at the New Amsterdam Prison seen in photos having a party with bottles of expensive liquor, juice and energy drinks.
He was seen seated in photos posted on Facebook by Abdul Andre Azimullah, 35, a cattle farmer of Lot 183 Hampshire Village, who is on remand for the murder of Danian Jagdeo, a phone card distributor, who was shot and killed during a robbery on February 8, 2017 at Adventure Village, Corentyne.
