Second man charged with murder of Mahaica farmer

A second man was yesterday charged with the murder of rice farmer Hardat Kissoon, who was shot dead during a robbery last month.

Kirk Clarke, 30, a labourer, of Charles-town, appeared before Magistrate Ann McLennan and was not required to plead to the charge.

It is alleged that on June 1st, at the University of Guyana (UG) Access Road, Turkeyen, Clarke murdered Kissoon, while carrying out a robbery.

Clarke was remanded to prison until August 6th, when the case will be called at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court. The unrepresented Clarke told the court yesterday that he was beaten by the police while in custody.

Hardat Kissoon
Hardat Kissoon
Kirk Clarke
Kirk Clarke

Sherwin Trotman, 32, of Lot 45 Section ‘D,’ South Turkeyen, was charged with the same murder last month.

Kissoon, called `Buju’ of Cane Grove, Mahaica died instantly after being shot once in the chest by a gunman, who escaped on a motorcycle which was parked along the UG road. At the time, he was returning from a city bank where he had changed a cheque for over half a million dollars. The cash was snatched and he was shot. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

At his arraignment, Trotman had accused police of charging him without any solid evidence.

He said, “My Worship, in this matter there was no ID parade and I didn’t give no statement to the police. They just arrest me and show me a video with two individuals on a motorcycle and they say I was the rider and they couldn’t identify the other person because the video was dull.”

He added, “They say if I don’t tell them who is the shooter they will have to put me as the rider. A police officer then tell me if I give him $2 million I will get loose but I tell he I ain’t got no $2 million.”

The Police Prosecutor, however, said the attack was recorded by a surveillance camera, which led to Trotman’s identification.