Two months after 16-year-old Vivian Singh Balrup of Reliance, East Canje was brutally murdered at the Number 63 Beach his family, who received conflicting reports about how it occurred, is still grieving his loss as though it occurred yesterday especially since no one has been charged.
The incident occurred on November 8 last and his father, Kirpal Singh Balrup said all he wants is for his son’s killer(s) to be brought to justice. He said the persons who were with his son could not say what exactly happened to him. An emotional Balrup told this newspaper “his attackers meant to kill him. I would get peace of mind if I can get to talk to this person who killed my son. I want to know what my son did so wrong to deserve such a brutal end.”
On November 8 last, Vivian left home in a taxi around 10 am with the driver and a 19-year-old male cousin. They picked up two teenaged females, one of whom shared a close relationship with Vivian. Balrup is sure that robbery was not the motive for the killing because his son’s gold chain, cell phone and Lacoste watch as well as a pair of Adidas boots he was wearing and $8,000 he had in his pocket were intact.
The distressed father said, “I just wish the police would get a breakthrough and get these persons or this would be another mystery murder. It beats everyone that so many people were there [at the beach] and yet they don’t know anything.”
Around 1 pm the cousin telephoned his sister to say that someone ran out of the “bush” and hit Vivian on his head and she subsequently related this to Vivian’s sister, Arlene, 20.
During an interview, Arlene told Stabroek News that she thought it was a small hit. She said they later received another call that her brother was on his way to the New Amsterdam Hospital. She and her parents as well as older brother, Antonio, 21 waited there on his arrival and were shocked at the extent of his injuries.
A gaping wound
Vivian sustained several hits to the back of his head which caused his eyes to bulge. He was rushed to the emergency unit with a gaping wound which bled profusely. His mother, Nadira Balrup had told this newspaper on the night of the incident that arrangements were being made to have her son transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital “but he did not make it…”
Police investigations had revealed that Vivian had picked watermelon from a farm at the beach and shared it with his female friend and that a farmer had attacked him. The girl was also attacked and sustained gashes on her forehead and other areas.
A few farmers were taken into custody and subsequently released after nothing incriminating was found against them. With robbery and the “watermelon” ruled out as motives for his son’s killing, Balrup is certain that the persons who were with his sons are withholding information. He learnt from the taxi driver though that Vivian had indeed picked the watermelon after he [the driver] sent him and had even lifted the barbwire fence for him to pass to get to the farm. The driver had said that Vivian did not eat any of the fruit.
Arlene told this newspaper, “It really hurt us to know that it was published in the newspapers that he stole and was killed.”
She opined that Vivian was killed as a result of jealousy “because they [attacker/s] couldn’t get the girl… My brother was a really handsome guy and he was very popular. People all over knew him; even from different schools.” Based on his own investigations Balrup learnt from the persons who went with Vivian that his cousin had used the driver’s car to take the other girl for a drive along the beach, leaving Vivian, his girlfriend and the driver behind.
The driver reportedly started drinking with a man who was driving another car which they at first said was ‘gold’ in colour. They had also said that the driver knew the other person he was drinking with.
However, they all changed the story to say the car was dark blue in colour while the driver denied that he knew the other man. The driver who later became upset that the cousin had not returned with his car called him on his cell phone and learnt that it had gotten stuck in the sand about a mile away.
Leaving Vivian unconscious, the other man took the driver and Vivian’s girlfriend to the spot and they had to hire a tractor to pull the car out.
After seeing the blood on the girl’s face, the cousin enquired what had happened and the girl said “she and Vivian got hit and Vivian was unconscious,” according to Balrup.
Balrup said too that he learnt that two men on a motorcycle assisted in putting Vivian into the car and insisted that the driver take him to the Skeldon Hospital.
However, he drove to the New Amsterdam Hospital instead. Along the way he stopped at the Number 51 Police Station to report the incident.
They were later taken the Central Police Station, in New Amsterdam where they were supposed to give statements.
‘Willing to talk’
Balrup said that the girlfriend at first denied that she knew what happened and later that night she called and told him that she “was willing to talk.”
He told this to the police at the Reliance Station, stating also that statements were already taken. It was when the officers checked with the New Amsterdam station they learnt that the persons were released without giving statements. The other persons, except the driver were also summoned to the station that night to give statements while the driver went the next day.
Balrup also went to the scene the following morning and while he was unable to find the murder weapon, he saw bloodstains on the beach where his son was attacked. He also showed this newspaper pictures to prove that there was no “bush” where his son was for someone to run out and hit him — just the watermelon farm.
Balrup said he thought the matter would have been dropped but after he contacted Commander of ‘B’ Division Stephen Merai, the four persons were again arrested and placed at separate stations. They were released after the 72-hour period had elapsed.
Vivian who was preparing to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certifi-cate examination next year would have celebrated his 17th birthday on November 17.
Contacted, Merai told this newspaper that the investigations are still ongoing. He said they have unearthed some information “and are working on it but it would take some time.”
He noted that the father was frustrated and has a right to conduct his own investigations but said the story is a little different to what the persons are saying.
The commander confirmed that everyone was rearrested and grilled further about the matter and released 72 hours after.
