Man remanded over chopping rampage

William Light who is accused of murdering two persons and wounding another two after going on a chopping rampage was yesterday remanded to prison when he made his appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.

The allegation is that on October 26 at Charlestown, Georgetown, William Light, a construction worker of Stevedore Housing Scheme, murdered Cedrick Blackman. On the same day also, the defendant is accused of murdering Ann Cham-A-Koon.

On October 26 also, Light is accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Radesh Persaud with intent to commit murder to the said Radesh Persaud. He is also accused on the same day of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Shawn DeSouza with intent to commit murder to the said Shawn DeSouza.

William Light

The 42-year-old man was not required to plea to the two counts of the capital offence of murder and the two counts of the indictable charges of attempted murder when they were read to him at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecutor Lionel Harvey in giving the facts of the case told the court that on the day in question, the accused unleashed a violent attack on his victims in which two were killed and another two wounded. Harvey said that DeSouza remains hospitalized while Persaud is recovering from his injuries at home.

Light who appeared to be focused and alert immediately stood upright and promptly answered to his name when his matter was called.

When asked for his address, the man told the magistrate, “Stevedore Housing Scheme.” When it was time to provide his occupation to the court he said that he does, “several jobs like joinery, carpentry and masonry.”

Later, an untidily dressed Light was told that he would be remanded to prison. He then calmly stepped out of the docks and exited the court via the chute.

He was ordered to return to court on December 6.
According to reports, just before 10 am on Tuesday last Light went on a cutlass-wielding rampage which left two persons dead and two injured in the Russell and Howes streets area.

An investigator close to the case had told Stabroek News that the man needed to be psychiatrically evaluated. The man’s mental state must first be determined, the source explained, before a decision is made about what his fate will be.