After managing to elude law enforcement officers for more than two weeks, Christian Joseph, the man who is wanted for the murder of his friend and the attempted murder of his friend’s partner was arrested yesterday at Puruni, Region Seven.
Police Commander Dion Moore confirmed that Joseph also known as ‘Son Son’ of Kitty, Georgetown was apprehended around 4am. He will be taken to Bartica for questioning.
On June 5th , Sheldon Harry, 22, a gold miner of Parika, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) and his girlfriend, Greici, 30, were doused with gasoline and allegedly set alight by Joseph. Three days after the attack, the police issued a wanted bulletin for Joseph.
Harry’s aunt, Leanna Barnes had told Stabroek News that the attack was the culmination of a violent argument that the accused had with his girlfriend.
As a result, the man’s girlfriend, who was a friend of both Harry and Greici, went to their camp to seek shelter, making them the target of Joseph.
“This man by the name of Christian Joseph had some problems with his girlfriend and was beating on her, so she went over to my nephew (Sheldon Harry) and his girlfriend (Greici) for help because they’re friends. When she got there, the man followed her and was tormenting her all day. When it became overbearing, my nephew decided to talk to the man because the man was bringing drama to his work place and his camp ground. The man and my nephew are both gold miners and never had problems prior. When my nephew tried talking to him, he took his anger out on my nephew and ran towards him with gasoline in a bucket and a stick lit with fire.”
“When my nephew ran, he (Joseph) threw the gasoline which caused him (Harry) to catch on fire. My nephew girlfriend then tried to help put the fire out and she also suffered some bad burns,” the woman said.
Harry’s aunt added that based on videos that she had received from her nephew’s girlfriend, it appeared that Joseph had been tormenting them from about 07:00 hrs until 18:00 hrs.
The woman further said that she was told that after Joseph realised what he had done, he then tried to help put out the fire that was consuming Harry, but he was of little help and he subsequently ran away.
Barnes said Harry suffered second and third degree burns to about 80% of his body, while his girlfriend suffered first and second degree burns.
