A beer garden owner is in custody as the police investigate the fatal shooting of Youganand Chetram, called ‘Boy’, a 29-year-old cane harvester from Alness Village which occurred at about 10 am on January 1st, 2025 at Lesbeholden, Black Bush Polder in Corentyne, Berbice.
In a statement yesterday, the police said that the beer garden owner, Moonie Ramnarine, 65, of Lot CZ 14, Lesbeholden, who did the shooting is the licensed holder of a .32 pistol bearing serial number FOC5287.
The police said that Ramnarine operates a beer garden in the lower flat of his premises and on the date and time mentioned above, an argument among patrons at his beer garden escalated, with Chetram and others breaking bottles and threatening each other.
The businessman told police that he attempted to close his gate when Chetram and another man threw him to the ground, injuring his elbow. While on the ground and being threatened with bottles, Ramnarine told police that he discharged two rounds from his licensed firearm, hitting Chetram, who collapsed on the road. Ramnarine then secured his business place, reported the incident to the police, and surrendered his fire-arm and licence.
Two .32 spent shells were recovered — one inside the shop and one outside (near the gate). Chetram’s body was taken to the Mibicuri Public Hospital.
The businessman is in custody assisting with the investigation, and his firearm, along with his licence, has been lodged.
A post-mortem examination (PME) yesterday found that Chetram died as a result of shock and haemorrhage due to gunshot injuries.
The PME with dissection was performed by Government Pathologist Dr Vivekanand Brijmohan at Bailey’s Funeral Parlour at Number Four Village, West Coast Berbice
Meanwhile, Davendra Chetram called `Lil Boy’, the younger brother of Youganand, denied that he or his late brother had assaulted or threatened the shopkeeper.
According to him, they had gone to the farming community to work as labourers in rice fields, and after receiving payment, they proceeded to the already crowded shop to change their monies into smaller denominations so as to pay their return passage to Alness Village where they lived,
On entering the shop, he observed that patrons were drinking. Addressing the shopkeeper as ‘Uncle”, he was about to ask him to change the money but he said that the shopkeeper ordered that they leave the shop.
“I told my brother let us leave… but, he knew some of the patrons and stopped by to talk with them. I walked away telling him, I will look for a car to take us home. As I was about to leave, the shopkeeper came out tell awe leh we come out he shop, awe nah get no problem with am …he walked out he shop and start shoot ..he fired three bullets … he aimed at me, but I hurriedly left to get a car to take my brother away but none of the drivers were willing …the shopkeeper never changed the money ..we would go to the shop regularly….“, He said.