Five men who were held in connection with the murders at a Number 63 Beach hotel, where the owner and a watchman were found dead, have been released from police custody, a source confirm-ed yesterday afternoon.
The decomposing bodies of Canadian hotelier Vivekanand Brijbassi, also known as ‘Vaker,’ 71, owner of Sunsplash Holiday Beach Resort, and watchman Harry Persaud Prashad, 59, of Number 68 Village, Corentyne, were found bound and gagged in the balcony area of the upper flat of the two-storey facility on December 27th.
Previously, the source had stated that the five persons were arrested based on statements given by persons from the area.
However, yesterday evening the source said that the police were forced to release the five men due to lack of evidence tying them to the crime.
While the investigation remains open, it is unclear whether the murders will be solved anytime soon as investigators are yet to receive any major leads.
Meanwhile, Brijbassi is expected to be laid to rest this afternoon. Prashad was laid to rest on Tuesday after the post-mortem examinations were conducted.
Based on post-mortem examinations carried out on the men’s bodies, the men died as a result of shock and haemorrhaging due to multiple injuries they suffered.
The police have said that Brijbassi was discovered with two toes from his left foot severed, while Prashad was found with both hands tied behind his back onto a post and his left foot completely severed from the ankle.
It is suspected that the men were killed sometime between Thursday, December 19th, and Friday, December 27th.
