The two suspects in custody in relation to the 2012 Double Day Hotel murder are likely to be charged today.
A police source told Stabroek News that based on legal advice sought, the two are likely to appear in a city court, where they will be charged jointly with the murder of Sideek Juman.
Juman’s body was pulled out of the Tuschen hotel’s pool on November 19, 2012. At the time of the discovery, there were visible marks of violence about his body and his head was swollen.
A post-mortem examination proved that he died from asphyxiation and that “blunt trauma to head” also contributed significantly to his death.
Three persons—the manager of the hotel, a taxi driver and a contractor—were arrested by ranks from the Major Crimes Unit on Thursday evening.
While the police were granted an additional 72 hours on Monday to further detain the manager and taxi driver, the contractor was released on substantial station bail.
Police sources had told this newspaper following their arrests that the suspects admitted their involvement in the crime to several individuals and were even heard discussing who would be vulnerable if they were arrested.
Juman had gone to the Double Day Hotel on November 18, 2012 and while there had seen a female friend with another man. As a result, he and the man had an argument, following which the three suspects allegedly beat him until he fell unconscious. They then removed his body to a room at the hotel. However, after realizing that Juman had died, they then reportedly dragged his body into the pool to make it appear as though he had drowned.
His relatives were convinced that he was murdered since his personal belongings, including his clothing, his BlackBerry cell phone and his wallet were missing. Juman’s relatives had previously told this newspaper that they believed he was “lured” to the hotel. He had gone to visit his grandmother at Ruby, also on the East Bank Essequibo, when he received a call to go to the hotel.
Two of Juman’s friends, a man and a woman, both in their early 20s, were initially arrested along with another man but they were all released after being questioned.
