One of the accused who was on trial for the 2016 Black Bush triple murder today pleaded guilty and the court heard that he has said that he ‘shoot them one, one’ – so as to not leave back any evidence or eyewitnesses of their attempts to steal fuel from a farmer.
Jairam Chetram, 24, appeared at the High Court in Berbice today before Justice Sandil Kissoon where he pleaded guilty separately to the murders of Pawan Chandradeo; his son, Jaikarran Chandradeo, 15; and his brother-in-law Naresh Rooplall, 33, at Mibicuri Backdam.
Jairam was charged for the murders jointly with his father Carlton Chaitram, known as ‘Lyma’; Tameshwar Jagmohan, known as ‘Guava,’ of Mibicuri South, Black Bush Polder; and Rakesh Karamchand known as ‘Go-To-Front,’ of Sheet Anchor, East Canje Berbice, on July 21, 2016.
Following the guilty plea, attorney at law, Abigail Gibbs who is representing the state in the matter, explained, that that the victims left their home to go fishing in the back dam area in Black Bush Polder “not knowing that would have been the last day they ever fished.”
According to her, after arriving in the backlands they first stopped at a koker where they were gaffing with friends. However, around 5 pm, the trio proceeded further to “catch fish.”
She said that at that time while they were in the backdam, Jairam also known as “Ryan” and others were also in the backdam. Around 8 pm that night, Jairam and others left where they were to steal fuel from a farmer (identified), and at that time the accused was armed with a gun.
According to Gibbs, “In his words, he said ‘When Abbe start fa lash the back pon the tank me see two men and a lil boy run coming so we have the gun with eight load, this is daddy gun, and me buss two load in the air and three a them run’ and they stood next to his boat.”
She said Jairam and others proceeded behind the three victims when they realized that it was Suresh (Pawan Chandradeo), his son (Jaikarran Chandradeo), and another man (Naresh Rooplall – his brother-in-law). She noted, that the accused told investigators that he knew Suresh because he used to work with “all awe.”
The court heard that it was decided that “we can’t lef no evidence” and Jairam told investigators ‘me shoot them one, one and them fall down pon a dam, and I load back the gun, I go over them head and I shoot them at them head.’
Prosecutor Gibbs said Jairam further told investigators that he and the others then left and went back to the camp.
Meanwhile, she further noted that when Jairam was arrested in July 2016 by ranks from the Major Crimes Unit he told investigators that ‘Sir me daddy do one bad thing, he send me and them boys fa thief tin fuel and give me he gun when Suresh them see me, me na been want lef no evidence so I shoot them.’
The deceased’s bodies were discovered with their baskets and cast nets around them. Post-mortem examinations revealed that Pawan Chandradeo had sustained gunshot injuries, a laceration to his head resulting in a fractured skull and that he subsequently died of shock and haemorrhaging. Jaikarran Chandradeo’s cause of death was given as shock and haemorrhaging, laceration of the brain, and gunshot injuries, and Naresh Rooplall, 33, had also died of shock and haemorrhaging and gunshot injuries.
Justice Kissoon ordered a probation report and sentencing was set for February 10.
Meanwhile, the trial of the three remaining accused is expected to continue before the jury on Thursday this week.
