Miss Phoebe pensioner murdered

An elderly man was found murdered at Miss Phoebe, Port Mourant, Corentyne on Sunday afternoon after bandits apparently broke into his home.

Seventy-one-year-old Goberdhan Sukram called `Keesh’ of Lot 144, Miss Phoebe Dam was discovered dead on Sunday around 5.30 pm.

Sukram, who resided alone, was found with a wound to the back of his head in his dining room. The deceased’s house was also ransacked and police recovered a blood-stained knife which residents said was lying in the yard.

Stabroek News observed that a window on the upper flat was broken and it appears that the bandits gained entry there.

Villagers, who requested that their names not be mentioned, yesterday told Stabroek News that the pensioner was found after a resident went to purchase seasoning from Sukram. After several calls went unanswered, the resident decided to alert a relative of the man.

Relatives of the man later found him lying in a pool of blood in the bottom flat of the house. Stabroek News also understands that spots of blood were found on the concrete outside the building leading investigators to believe that he was killed or at least attacked outside the house and then placed/taken inside.

A resident said that once when the man was attacked by bandits in the home, he had escaped and hid in the garden under some karilla (bitter gourd) bushes.

After the discovery of the body, police from the Whim station were summoned. The man was taken to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A resident said that the man had been robbed of cattle and other items on several occasions. She said that approximately six weeks back the man was robbed of cattle and livestock. When he reported the matter to the police station no one was arrested.  The resident also said that when the man confronted his suspect, threats were made against him.  The resident said too, that it appears as if the elderly man put up a fight against the bandits.

Neighbours said they did not see any strange movements in the area on Sunday and as such they are questioning the time of the incident.

The body is currently at Ramoo’s funeral home awaiting an autopsy.

The man was never married nor did he have any children.

He operated a kitchen garden along with a small livestock and cattle farm in order to supplement his income from his pension and assistance from his family abroad. He was described as a loving and peaceful citizen who was soft-hearted and had no trouble with his neighbours. (David Papannah)