More than two months after the murder of Lakhan Chaterpaul, the overseas-based Guyanese in Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne, investigators have been able to arrest the prime suspect and place him before the court.
Leon Gonsalves also known as ‘Never Please’, a barber of Crabwood Creek Corentyne, on Tuesday appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore where he was charged with murdering Chaterpaul, also known as “Rickash”, 21, on March 9.
Gonsalves was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison. He will return to court on May 31, for report.
Gonsalves had been on the run following the murder and was arrested by members of the Major Crimes Unit on Friday last.
His brother, Eon Gonsalves, also known as ‘Belly’, 26, of Grant 1802 Crabwood Creek, was charged back in March with Lakhan’s murder as well. He is also currently on remand.
Chaterpaul had sustained a single stab injury to his lower abdomen and collapsed to the ground a short distance away from his grandfather’s house, where he was vacationing in Grant 1802 Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne, on the morning of March 9. He had visited Guyana to celebrate his older brother’s wedding,
He was rushed to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
His grandfather, Zamen Silvanish, also known as ‘Haniff’ had explained that his daughter and her family along with several other relatives ventured to Guyana for his grandson’s wedding, which was held at his residence.
According to the man, on Tuesday, March, 8, the family was playing music and having a small get-together when three men who live in the area entered the yard.
According to the grandfather, after some time he noticed the men “rolling dope” and immediately asked them to leave. However, he said, the men, who according to him are brothers, began chucking him up “and them give me one hunch and we put them out and lock the gate and me na say nothing. We go in the yard and them start cuss up and so how them go kill abbay and thing. And me na worry with them me just go in and lock up.”
About five minutes after the men began damaging several of the vehicles parked in the street, some family members proceeded to the street. It was then that Chaterpaul was stabbed.
According to relatives, Chaterpaul did not engage the men at any point but only proceeded into the street after he heard the men were hitting the vehicles, and it was then that he was attacked.
After he collapsed on the street, relatives immediately rushed to his assistance while the suspects, who reside several houses away, fled.
Eon Gonsalves was held the following morning by relatives of the deceased in the area after they noticed him in a street after which he was handed over to the police.
