Teenagers charged for brutal Bush Lot double murders

The two teenagers, who confessed to the murder of a Berbice businessman and his wife, were remanded to prison on Wednesday when they appeared before Magistrate Rhondell Weaver at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court.

Neeman Rafeek, 19, also called ‘Shazam’ of Lot 5 Bush Lot New Housing Scheme and Kokum Madanpaul, 18, also called ‘Clown’ of Lot 175 Block D Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice were not required to plea to the indictable charge.

The police stated that between January 8 and 9, 2016 along with others, they murdered Arthur Rajkumar, 81, and Diane Chamanlall, 44, at Lot 93 A Bush Lot and in the course of a furtherance of a burglary.

The two suspects were unrepresented and did not show any remorse when the charge was read to them by the Magistrate. The two accused will have to return to court on February 3, when the case comes up again for police to present a progress report.

On January 9, police ranks acting on reports went to the home at Bush Lot, and as they approached three men were seen scaling the fence and managed to evade police ranks who gave chase.

Upon checking the house which was ransacked, the ranks found the businessman and his wife with multiple chop wounds about their bodies. They were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where Rajkumar was pronounced dead and Chamanlall succumbed while receiving attention.

It was reported that later in the day, the police arrested Rafeek who was in the process of washing blood off of his clothing. Madanpaul was later arrested. They both claimed they are drug addicts and that they committed the murders.

Initially, they claimed that they had gone to rob the couple but after getting only $13,000 they became furious and demanded more. It was during this time that the men brutally chopped the couple. They had also confessed to another murder but investigations are ongoing.

However, Rooplall Abrahim, 24, who was arrested on Tuesday evening has also confessed to murder of the businessman and his wife.

According to reports, Abrahim who was acquitted of murdering a 13-year-old school girl when he was 16 years old, also admitted to murdering Anita Baichan, 49, who was bound and burned to death in her Plantation Hope, West Coast Berbice home two Saturdays ago.

Abrahim also called ‘Vijay’ was captured on the No 4 Village, West Berbice foreshore. He was taken to the Fort Wellington Cottage Hospital for a medical checkup before being placed in a cell at the Police lockups.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told Guyana Times Wednesday evening that Abrahim’s file will be sent to Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.v