The relatives of slain Corentyne fisherman Alexander Yhap staged a protest along the Albion Main Road yesterday after the man who is accused of fatally stabbing him was granted $250,000 bail on Monday when he was arraigned on a manslaughter charge.
The accused, Arjune Mohabir, 22, a fisherman of Lot 80 Kilcoy Squatting Area, appeared at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court on Monday before Magistrate Peter Hugh, who read the charge which alleges that he unlawfully killed Yhap at Kilcoy Squatting Area.
Mohabir, who was not required to enter a plea, was granted his release on $250,000 bail.
However, he returned to the Albion Magistrate’s Court yesterday, which led to the protest.
It was only until the media reported on the case that relatives became aware that the man had appeared in court and was granted bail. After reading the news
article, Yhap’s wife and other relatives decided to head over to the Albion Magistrate’s Court, where they confirmed that Mohabir had been granted bail.
Outraged, they quickly made placards and then stood in front of the compound which houses the Albion Station and the Albion Magistrate’s Court to protest.
The protesters shouted, “Justice for John. We need justice. Justice for John.”
Yhap, also known as ‘John’, 25, a fisherman, of Lot 84 Kilcoy, Corentyne, sustained three stab wounds during an altercation with Mohabir at a Superbet location two streets away from his home on Monday, September 14.
He eventually succumbed at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was referred to for treatment. A post-mortem examination has since revealed that the father of two died as a result of the stab wound to his chest.
According to an eyewitness, Yhap and his wife, Mineisha Chandralall, also known, as ‘Angeli,’ 22, were at a Superbet location in the village, when the suspect arrived just around 7 pm.
The eyewitness had said the deceased and the suspect were drinking in separate corners when suddenly an argument ensued between the two. “Them start fight and then [Mohabir] just take out one Rambo knife and stab the boy pon underneath”, the man had noted.
Yhap’s wife, Chandralall, yesterday voiced her frustration at the entire situation. She said, “I want justice. I got two small children and everyone for them (accused) side. He deh on bail. We want justice …”
After the murder, Mohabir had fled the scene and ventured out to the Corentyne River with a fishing boat in hopes of escaping. However, police quickly chased after the suspect and placed him under arrest.
Chandralall added that at this time she has no idea how she will take care of her children, who are ages two and five years, since she is unemployed, “Me na get nobody. Me na get momma, me na get daddy, and now me husband dead,” she lamented.
Chandralall’s mother passed away two weeks before her husband was fatally stabbed.
Meanwhile, Yhap’s sister, Victoria Maria Yhap, 22, also questioned who would look after her brother’s wife and children. “Me brother innocent and now he dead and left he wife and children and it na meet couple day and he done deh pon bail,” she said.
Meanwhile, at least five protesters said that they were in the station compound when they were told to exit.
