Fish vendor charged with Rosignol wake murder

A Rosignol fish vendor was yesterday charged with murder when he appeared in the Reliance Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus.

Latchman Samaroo, called ‘Patto’, 26, was not required to plead to the charge which read that on Saturday December 13, 2014 at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice, he murdered Surujpaul Ramnarine.

Samaroo is scheduled to return to court on December 22 at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court

 Latchman Samaroo
Latchman Samaroo

Following the incident, Samaroo had fled the scene. However, a police source told Stabroek News that he surrendered himself on Tuesday.

Surujpaul Ramnarine
Surujpaul Ramnarine

Ramnarine, 51, of Blairmont Village, West Bank Berbice, was stabbed in his chest and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Fort Wellington Hospital around 1 am on Saturday.

At the time of the stabbing, Ramnarine and other family members were gathered at wake for his mother, who died last Tuesday.

According to a police statement, Ramnarine had intervened in an argument between a relative and her common-law husband when he was stabbed.

Ramnarine’s daughter Vannie Ramnarine said her father worked as a labourer in the backlands on a rice farm.

She added that he lived with her at Blairmont and would return every fortnight. He was expected to be out for a few days before Christmas but had returned earlier because of his mother’s death. She said her father had promised to spend time and treat his grandchildren and children for the Christmas holidays.

Ramnarine leaves to mourn his six children, siblings, other relatives and friends.