Samples from murders for DNA testing

Samples from various murders, including that of British teen Dominic Bernard will leave Guyana today for DNA testing in Trinidad and Tobago.

This is according to Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum who said among the other samples that will be sent are from the murders of Bush Lot Berbice businessman Arthur Doodnauth Rajkumar and his wife Diane Chamanlall; Ruby resident Davonan Sookram and Good Hope farmer Shariz Ali.

Eighteen-year-old Bernard had travelled from London to Guyana on October 14, 2015. His father had said that the teen was supposed to have been visiting his god brother Aaron Hing but there was no trace of him after he cleared customs.

 Diane Chamanlall
Diane Chamanlall

On January 8, a decomposed body suspected to be Bernard’s was discovered in the backlands of Nurney, which is located next to Kildonan.

Hing and Staymon George were arrested the following day after wanted bulletins were issued by authorities.

Dominic Bernard
Dominic Bernard

The men, while in police custody, allegedly admitted to bludgeoning Bernard to death and burying his body in a shallow grave just a few hours after his arrival in the country. Apart from the two men, three others were also charged with involvement in the murder.

The bodies of Rajkumar and Chamanlall were discovered on the morning of January 9 with gaping wounds about their bodies in pools of blood. They were taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where Rajkumar was pronounced dead on arrival and Chamanlall succumbed while receiving medical attention. Three persons have since been charged with their murders.

Ex-policeman Ruel Brandon was charged with the murder of Davonan Sookram, whose decomposing body was found along the access road at Ruby, East Bank Essequibo during August 2015.

But as it relates to the murder of Ali whose body was discovered dead in his house by his mother in October, 2015 no one has been charged; five persons were arrested but later released.