Two men were yesterday remanded to prison after they were charged with the murder of construction worker Andy Williams, whose partially decomposed body was discovered floating in a trench at Met-en-meerzorg, West Coast Demerara (WCD) two weeks ago.
Afrazudeen Ally, called ‘Afraz’, 35, a fisherman of Lot 230 Area G, De Willem, WCD and Yudesh Kissoon, called ‘Chucky’, 29, a labourer of Area G, De Willem, WCD, appeared before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court.
The men, who had been drinking with the deceased before a fatal fight erupted, were not required to plead to the indictable charge. The charge states that on June 6th, at De Willem, WCD, they murdered Williams.
They were remanded to prison until August 24th, when the matter will be called again at the Leonora Magistrate’s Court.
Williams, a resident of Lot 136 Zeeburg, WCD, was last seen alive on June 6th.
His body was discovered in a trench by residents of Tarla Dam last Monday afternoon. At the time, the body was clad in a burgundy jersey, blue pants with white stripes and a pair of black socks.
Williams’ body was positively identified by a relative on Sunday morning.
A post-mortem examination on Monday confirmed that he was murdered.
Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean, who is the Commander of Region Three, had previously told Stabroek News that the police were treating the case as a murder since the autopsy showed that Williams died as a result of blunt force trauma to his head.
The two suspects were arrested on Tuesday night. They allegedly confessed to killing Williams over an old grievance.
Prior to Williams’ death, he was reportedly drinking alcohol with the suspects and they had an argument, which later escalated into a fight.
“The guy (one suspect) said that how Andy cuff him in he mouth and bruk he teeth some time ago and that how the thing boil up in he and he start to lash he (Williams) with a wood and then lash he with a hammer before they throw he in the trench,” this newspaper was told.
Williams and his family resided in neighbouring Venezuela for 26 years. He returned to Guyana in February this year in search of a job in order to maintain his wife and children.
He later began working with a relative along the East Bank of Demerara.
Williams, this newspaper learnt, initially stayed at another relative’s place at Zeeburg, West Coast of Demerara. However, he subsequently took up residence at the relative’s place on the East Bank to avoid having to travel on a daily basis.
As a result, when he did not return home on June 6th, relatives were not worried.
One of Williams’ nieces, who wished not to be named, had told Stabroek News that he left the Zeeburg, WCD house where he was staying on the morning of June 6th for work after informing his relatives that he would be staying at the worksite in a camp which was built for workers.
She said Williams promised to return the following day for his clothing but he didn’t. “He told my mom that he go come back fah he clothes on Sunday [June 7th]. So I seh, ‘mommy like uncle must be carry clothes in he backpack mek he ain’t come,” the woman had said.
It was not until last Saturday when Williams’ wife called the family from Venezuela and said she had not heard from him all week that the family realized something was amiss. As a result, the niece said she and her mother began calling around in an effort to determine Williams’ whereabouts.
She said they first called the relative who Williams worked with but the man related that he last saw Williams on the afternoon on June 6th when he left after being paid.
The same afternoon, she said, her mother went to a nearby rum shop to find out if Williams was there at any point. “They said that he was there Saturday night [June 6th] and he buy rum and he buy chaser and he left with it,” she related.
The woman said when the body was found in the trench, the family heard about it but at no point did they think that it was Williams’ body. It was not until they were shown a picture that the family confirmed it was Williams based on the clothes he was wearing. “The same clothes that he left to go to work, that is the same clothes the person was wearing. So right away we seh dah is he,” the woman said.
