Suspect charged in murder of Sheet Anchor remigrant

A suspect was yesterday charged with the murder of the Sheet Anchor businessman who was found stabbed to death on Wednesday morning.

Dean Sunthgolam, 38, of Canefield, East Canje, Berbice, was arraigned in front of Magistrate Rondell Weaver at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court. It is alleged that between December 1st and December 3rd, Sunth-golam murdered remigrant Terrence McLean, 62, of Sheet Anchor.

Sunthgolam was not required to plea to the charge and was remanded until December 8th.

Sunthgolam reportedly surrendered to lawmen on Thursday and gave a confession. Prior to his surrender, lawmen had also visited the man’s home on several occasions but he was not at home.

Terrence McLean
Terrence McLean
Dean Sunthgolam
Dean Sunthgolam

However, attorney Charandas Persaud, who represented Sunthgolam, told the court that he was told that his client was badly beaten and told to sign a document. Persaud also related to the court that his client does not have the ability to read and write properly.

The body of McLean, called ‘Ronald’ and ‘Scotchie,’ was in the early stages of decomposition when it was found.

Fredrick McLean, who last spoke to his father on Monday, went in search of him after his attempts to contact him were futile on Tuesday. He called out to his father but got no reply. Suspecting something was amiss, he peeked into the house and saw the man’s body on the ground in the living room area, with visible stab wounds in the region of his stomach.

McLean was a former goldsmith. He lived alone in the upper flat of his two-storey house, while he rented the lower flat to a family of three. Since his return to Guyana a few years ago, he started a boating business with the help of one of his sons.