Two fishermen today pleaded guilty to the murder of Corentyne boat captain Mahadeo Ramdial who drowned after pirates attacked his boat back in May, 2017.
Doodnauth Singh also known as ‘Rambo’, of Lot 348 Fifth Street, Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, and Khemraj Narsayah also known as ‘Antenna’, of Lot 108 ‘B’ Rose Hall Town, Corentyne, Berbice, were on trial before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Berbice for the murder of Ramdial.
The state is being represented by Attorney at Law, Nafeeza Baig.
Today, the men opted to plead guilty to the offence of murder while committing piracy contrary to Section 7 of the Hijacking and Piracy Act.
Doodnauth is being represented by Attorney at Law, Tanya Warren Clements, while Narsayah is represented by Attorney at Law, Surihya Sabsook.
After this was done, Justice Singh questioned whether the men had discussed changing the pleas with their lawyers, if they were forced to change the pleas and that they understood that the offence will carry a term of imprisonment.
After the duo confirmed that they had spoken to their attorneys, understood the new pleas they were entering, and were not being forced, Justice Singh accepted the guilty pleas.
The Judge then ordered probation reports for both men and set sentencing for February 20.
Ramdial, also known as “Chico,” of Lot 146 Kilcoy Squatting Area, along with two-other fishermen, Arjune Permaul, of Kilcoy Squatting Area, and Permanand Nandan, of Lot 103 Tain Settlement, Corentyne, had been fishing in the Corentyne River when they were attacked by pirates.
After the fishermen were beaten and their catch and a boat engine were taken, the suspects threw them overboard. Ramdial later drowned while struggling to swim ashore with his crewmates.
