A female suspect in the murder of La Grange grandmother, Bibi Nasmonisha Ramjit, escaped police custody minutes after being handed over by Surinamese law enforcement officers on Wednesday, Regional Commander of Region Three Errol Watts told Stabroek News.
The commander said he learnt that the female along with a male suspect were sitting on a bench at the Springlands Police Station, Corentyne after being handed over. The female suspect, who investigators believe is the mastermind of the murder, requested to use the washroom. With no female rank at the station, a male rank accompanied her and waited outside. However, while he was waiting, the suspect made good her escape.
Watts, while noting that this should never have happened, said they are currently in pursuit of the suspect and hopes she will be apprehended soon.
Further, the commander told Stabroek News that the male suspect, who is the taxi driver and the woman’s partner is being processed for the courts.
He said that the suspect yesterday returned to scene of the crime and related to investigators the part which he played.
“He said he went as far as the bridge and that places him at the scene of the crime which we believe is sufficient for charges. It will be up to the Magistrate in the PI to determine if he should be (committed to trial) or not,” Watts explained.
A file is being up together and investigators will be seeking legal advice to institute charges as early as today, said Watts.
The suspects, who were arrested during the course of this week in Paramaribo, Suriname were handed over to police here on Wednesday afternoon via the backtrack route in Springlands.
On Tuesday, Head of the Region Three division’s crime unit, Assistant Superintendent of Police Whittaker, said they were collaborating with their counterparts in Suriname in a bid to apprehend the persons of interest.
Police have so far instituted charges against a juvenile suspect who was arrested in relation to the murder during the initial stages of the probe.
Ramjit, known as ‘Aunty Bibi’, a shop owner of Old Road, La Grange, was found bound and gagged on Sunday, October 25, by neighbours.
An autopsy confirmed that the woman died as a result of strangulation.
Stabroek News was told that the elderly woman was advised by her children who reside overseas to stop operating the shop and she agreed to do so once all her goods were sold.
