Suspect in Manu Durant killing released, inquest recommended

The suspect in the killing of Manu Durant has been released by police after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended that an inquest be held into the death, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said last evening.

Blanhum told Stabroek News that the release occurred on Tuesday following the return of a police file from the DPP’s Chambers. He said that the advice contained was for an inquest to be held.

Stabroek News had earlier learnt that there was insufficient evidence to link the suspect, said to be a Jamaican national, to the crime. The man was nabbed at Eteringbang, Cuyuni River sometime during Saturday last.

Durant was rushed from the Baroombar strip club at North Road to a private city hospital with two gunshot wounds to his chest last Thursday around 4:30am. Durant, a resident of Atlantic Ville, East Coast Demerara, died sometime later.

A witness said that the shooting stemmed from an altercation Durant had with the DJ. Durant had reportedly pointed a gun at the man and threatened to kill him if he did not turn the music back on.

Later, three gunshots were heard.

In 2008 Durant was a person of interest in the disappearance of Tenisha Morgan. The following year he was injured during a shooting outside a Kitty Bar.