Rayon Jones, 20, of Lot 121 Fourth Street, Avenue, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) was on Tuesday remanded to prison for the brutal stabbing to death of mechanic Puranand Baljit, also known as “Andrew” at Madewini, Soesdyke, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The charge, which was read by Magistrate Judy Latchman, stated that on June 9, 2016, at Madewini, EBD, he murdered Baljit during the course of a burglary. Jones was not required to plea to the indictable charge.
He was represented by Attorney Latchmie Rahamat, who told the court that Jones has a reputed wife with a minor child and also has no prior or pending convictions.
Rahamat made an application for the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) to be a paper committal, based on what was related by her client. She explained that this may be the best option to expedite the trial in the High Court.
Jones was remanded to prison and the matter was transferred to the Kwakwani Magistrate’s Court for July 5.
On June 9, 25-year-old Baljit was reportedly stabbed seven times to his body while lying in his bed at about 22:00h. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Diamond Diagnostic Centre.
At the time of the stabbing incident, the young man’s father and stepmother were at home and heard a moaning sound coming from his room and it was then they realised something terrible had happened.
Jones was arrested on Sunday in Georgetown and during interrogation, he confessed to the crime. He reportedly told detectives that he had been monitoring the movements of Baljit for quite some time. On the night of the murder, he went to the house and as the occupants retired to bed he made his move.
He admitted walking towards the young man’s bedroom window and as he looked into the bedroom, he saw several phones on a table. The young man, he said, was asleep.
The suspect recounted that he collected a concrete block which he used to climb through the window. However, while in the bedroom, Baljit woke up and a scuffle ensued between them.
During the scuffle, the suspect claimed that he was chopped to the hand by the now dead man and in retaliation; he collected another knife and dealt one blow to the young man’s neck.
As Baljit collapsed on the bed, he continued to stab him. He then took a phone and a laptop computer and escaped through the window.
