Anil Sancharra and Vinod Gopaul were on Tuesday convicted for the 2020 murders of West Coast Berbice cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry at the Berbice High Court. The case was heard before Justice Simone Morris. After several hours of deliberation, the jury returned a guilty verdict.
The prosecution’s case rested heavily on Akash Singh, who testified that he was present in the backlands and witnessed the killings. Singh told the court that he had accompanied Sancharra and Gopaul to a marijuana camp in the backdam and that the two cousins later encountered the men there. According to Singh, an exchange followed before the teenagers were attacked and killed.
His testimony became the foundation of the state’s case and the central issue around which both the prosecution and defense built their arguments.
Both accused denied being present at the alleged crime scene and rejected Akash Singh’s testimony. They maintained that Singh was not telling the truth and insisted they had no involvement in the murders.
Both accused denied being present at the alleged crime scene and rejected Akash Singh’s testimony. They maintained that Singh was not telling the truth and insisted they had no involvement in the murders.
They also denied instructing anyone to dispose of weapons and told the court they had been wrongfully implicated.
In addition, during his testimony, Gopaul alleged that he was assaulted while in police custody and claimed he was pressured to sign documents. However, he acknowledged signing a caution statement. The mutilated bodies of Isaiah Henry and his cousin Joel Henry were found at Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice (WCB), in September 2020.
The men are expected to return to court on June 26, 2026.
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