Satish Ramrish, a 39-year-old carpenter, was today charged with the murder of 59-year-old Akbhar Sain of Williamsburg, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
Sain was beaten to death during the course of a robbery at his business place, a supermarket, situated at the same location where he had resided.
The accused appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court where he was not required to plead and was remanded to prison.
Ramrish, of Hampshire, Corentyne, told the court that his six children needed food, so he decided to commit the robbery, but expressed that he “never expected that to happen”.
The matter was adjourned to November 7 and transferred to the Albion Magistrate’s Court.
It had been reported that a lone bandit forced his way into the supermarket in the wee hours of Wednesday, and killed the businessman during a confrontation.
According to the police, after receiving a report of an alleged breakage at a business place at Williamsburg at around 02:00hrs on Wednesday, a party of detectives went to the area and observed a body lying in the yard.
Regional Commander Senior Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus had said that upon arrival at the scene, the detectives observed that a grill door had been destroyed and the glass door to the business had been opened.
The police immediately surrounded the building, Bacchus said, and after the body in the yard had been taken to the Port Mourant Hospital, where it was pronounced dead, the officers made their way into the building.
While searching the building, the ranks found a man hiding behind a washing machine. The man reportedly challenged the police, and was shot to the right arm. He was arrested, and a search carried out on his person found several wads of cash in his possession.
According to Commander Bacchus, the police searched the building and found a .32 firearm and a total of 50 rounds of ammunition. He also said the suspect confessed to the crime, claiming that he operated alone.
According to the Commander, the suspect claimed he had confronted the owner of the supermarket and lashed him to the head and other parts of his body with a piece of wood he was carrying. The commander said the suspect claimed the businessman had also lashed him with a piece of iron.
The Commander said the suspect told police that after gaining entry into the building, he went to the area where the money was kept and removed the cash.
