Magistrate Haymant Ramdhani yesterday remanded an Alexander Village man charged with the murder of Lakeram Bishundial during a robbery last Friday in East Demerara.
Shawn Anthony Thom, 31, of 128 Third Street, Alexander Village was one of three suspects who had been taken into police custody following the murder.
The father of one, who is a porter, was not required to plead when the charge was read to him at the Cove and John Magistrate’s Court. Magistrate Ramdhani explained to the accused that the charge was indictable and this was why he was not required to plead.
It is alleged that on August 20 at Hope, East Coast Demerara Thom murdered Bishundial.
Attorney James Bond represented the accused and after providing the court with Thom’s particulars requested the earliest available date for the continuation of the case.
Throughout the court proceedings Thom remained silent and smiled periodically as he listened to Magistrate Ramdhani. The accused, when given the option of making a statement to the court, declined to do so.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to September 15 and continues at the same court. Thom was remanded to prison.
As the accused was leaving the courtroom relatives rushed to cover his face. They shouted to the media to leave him alone.
Meanwhile, a senior police source in ‘C’ Division told this newspaper that the other two suspects who had been held were released following an identification parade on Monday.
It is unclear whether Thom will also be charged with robbery under arms.
Police in a press release on Friday had said the robbery occurred at about 3.15 pm as Lakeram was driving his motor lorry GGG 8273 along the roadway. He observed his brother, Totaram, in his motor pick-up. The two brothers stopped their vehicles and were talking on the road when two men rode up on a motor cycle. The pillion rider, who was armed with a handgun, got off from the motorcycle and approached the two brothers and discharged rounds at Lakeram, hitting him in his abdomen.
The armed man then grabbed a bag containing an undisclosed sum of cash from the pick-up and escaped along with his accomplice on the motorcycle. Lakeram was taken to a private hospital in Georgetown where he succumbed to his injuries.
Police added that diligent investigations and quick action resulted in the motorcycle, identified as being used in the robbery, being recovered at Victoria, East Coast Demerara. Further, investigations led to the rider of the motorcycle being apprehended in an abandoned house in Victoria. The two other suspects, who have since been released, were also arrested and had been helping police with the investigations.
