A man who eluded the police for two decades was on Saturday arrested over the 2002 murder of his estranged partner, Taijwantie ‘Roshanie’ Sooklall.
The suspect, Gautier Jerome Fernandes was arrested at approximately 5.30 pm at Onderneeming, Region Two as he was in the midst of his nuptials.
Yesterday afternoon, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said that ranks were able to secure a confession from Fernandes for the 2002 murder.
Blanhum related that the suspect confessed to murdering 22-year-old Sooklall, a mother of three and also injuring her friend, Marcie Williams.
The suspect, while in custody, told police that he and Sooklall had several arguments prior to her death and on each occasion the victim would leave their home.
“On the last occasion, he indicated to her that if she leaves, he would kill her. Notwithstanding the threat, the victim left their home after an argument with the suspect. As a consequence, he ambushed her whilst she and her friend were leaving a party and he inflicted the fatal injuries on the victim. Afterwards, he turned his attention to the victim’s friend and injured her. However, she managed to escape alive,” Blanhum recounted.
Throughout the years, Fernandes told the police that he managed to evade law enforcement by moving between regions 7 and 1 and later settling in Region 2. In Region Two, he met a female and moved in with her.
Police Commander of Region Two Shivpersaud Bacchus yesterday told this newspaper that ranks from the Anna Regina Police Station went to the Onder-neeming/Sand Pit area on the Essequibo Coast and apprehended the suspect. The ranks from Region 2 worked along with detectives from the Major Crimes Unit and were able to gather intelligence that led to the arrest of the 51-year-old murder suspect.
Sooklall was attacked on January 26th 2002 and her neck was almost severed. The attack occurred at around 12.30 am at the Little Diamond Squatting Area.
Sooklall at the time of the attack was on her way to the home of her older brother with whom she lived in the little Diamond squatter settlement. She had ceased to live in her own home in Soesdyke because she had been threatened by Fernandes.
In 2002, Stabroek News reported that Williams had related that she and Sooklall had spent most of the afternoon and evening at Williams’ home located some 200 metres from that of Sooklall’s brother.
She recounted that they were walking from her house to the brother’s home along the dam at around 12:30 am, and were about 50 metres away, when a man who was hiding in a clump of bushes jumped out and held Sooklall from behind.
Sooklall was walking behind her, Williams said, and she heard her friend exclaim. Looking around she saw Fernandes wrestling with Sooklall and she immediately tried to ward him off with a bottle she was carrying.
She said during the scuffle the man had managed to overpower Sooklall, and after she had fallen he had proceeded to sit on her stomach. Fernandes then proceeded to cut her throat with a knife-like object.
Thereafter, he inflicted several stab wounds on the woman’s chest, following which, he had turned his attention to Williams. He told her it was her turn since she had witnessed the attack.
Williams however sprinted off in the direction of her home screaming. The man nonetheless fired chops at her, one of which had caused a gaping wound on her right thumb as she attempted to fend off a swipe from his blade.
Williams told this newspaper that it was her good fortune that her neighbour awoke as she ran up the stairs of her home as that had caused the man to retreat, following which he had escaped.
Williams had told this newspaper that she had urged her friend to remain at her home but Sooklall had insisted on returning to her brother’s house, and so she had decided to accompany her.
The deceased’s brother Hardyal Damroo, had stated that he had been awoken by the screams of Williams who had called out to him following the attack. After proceeding to the scene he saw the lifeless body of his younger sister lying in a grassy area covered in blood.
According to the brother, the attack was the third such by Fernandes, the second of which had necessitated her fleeing the Soesdyke home some two months previously. In the attack before her demise she sustained a sizable wound on her head and another on her arm and was verbally threatened. At the time, she was rescued by a female in-law.
