The Police are preparing to lay charges against the four suspects who have since confessed to the being involved in the Corentyne triple murder case.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has confirmed that the suspects – a farmer (Carlton ‘Lyman’ Chetram), his wife, their son (19-year-old Jairam Chetram) and an employee (Tameshwar Tajmohan) – on Thursday succumbed under intense questioning by investigators and confessed to the murders which occurred one week ago at Cookrite Savannah, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
The suspects reportedly told investigators that another employee was involved in the crime and Police have since launched a manhunt for him. Based on information received, the farmer Chetram who owns a rice land, would often trespass onto the nearby farm of Sudama ‘King’ Jagmohan to steal diesel from fuel tanks stored in the compound.
Jagmohan said one of the men in custody; Tameshwar Tajmohan worked with him and was one of the trusted employees. He said he had been losing fuel for the past three years but had no idea that his neighbours were involved.
On the night in question, Chetram along with his family and two employees were breaking the padlock to gain access to the fuel but the loud noise alerted the trio who eventually confronted them.
Fearful that their identities would be exposed and that they would be handed over to the Police, the group murdered the three men.
The farmer is said to be a licensed firearm holder and the suspected murder weapon, his shotgun, was on Tuesday sent for ballistic testing following autopsies on the victims’ bodies on Monday.
The bodies of 33-year-old Naresh Rooplall; 37-year-old Pawan Chandradeo, also known as “Suresh”; and his 15-year-old son, Jaikarran, also known as “Kevin” were discovered on the morning of July 22, each bearing one gunshot wound.
Autopsies performed on the bodies of Jaikarran and Rooplall, gave their cause of death as shock and haemorrhaging caused by a gunshot wound.
Chandradeo died from shock and haemorrhaging following a laceration to the head and a fractured skull.
Their bodies were laid to rest on Wednesday.
The discovery of the bodies was made shortly after daybreak by another rice farmer. The bodies were lying on a dam about three miles into the savannah, a short distance away from a camp called “King’s Camp”.
The men had gone on a fishing expedition which began at 15:00h on Thursday. They were expected back at about 03:00h on Friday morning. Also on the trip was another of Chandradeo’s sons.
The young lad told investigators that while on the journey with his family, he was instructed to wait at “King’s Camp” with a guard who was stationed there. Those instructions were given to him at about 19:00h on Thursday.
According to the teen, at about 20:00h on Thursday evening, he heard what appeared to be two gunshots, and later the rapid sound of what appeared to be four more gunshots.
At daybreak, the lad said he left “King’s Camp” in search of his father, brother, and uncle. “I call for dem but I ent get no reply.”
On his way, he met a man who told him that he did not see his relatives and advised him to return to his home, which he did.
According to Chandradeo’s wife, Chandrawattie Rooplall, also called “Pam”, she received information that her husband had been injured in the backdam from a security guard attached to the Mibicuri Hospital, even before her son returned home.
She explained that as she launched an investigation to verify the reliability of the report, she was told that the persons injured were not her husband, son, and brother.
It was another brother of Chandradeo who went to the scene with the Police and confirmed Rooplall’s worst fears shortly before midday, when the bodies arrived at the Mibicuri Hospital.
Pawan Chandradeo leaves to mourn a daughter, two sons and a wife to whom he got married on July 5.
His brother-in-law, Narish Rooplall, leaves to mourn a wife, two brothers and a mother.
