Duo held in probe of New Year’s Day murders released on station bail

-cops seek third man

The two men detained for questioning in relation to New Year’s Day murders of poultry vendor Desmond Singh and cattle farmer Azrudeen Hussain have been released on station bail, while the police are pursuing a third man.

Stabroek News was reliably informed that the men were each released on $50,000 station bail after the expiry of the 72-hour period within which they could be held without charge.

Desmond Singh

According to a source, the two men, who were picked up on Monday morning in North Ruimveldt, were not suspects in the murder.

Singh, called “David” and “Fix Up,” 34, of Lot A-1 Orange Walk, Bourda, and Hussain, 24, a cattle farmer and final-year pharmacy student at the University of Guyana, who resided at Baiabu, Mahaica Creek, died on Sunday evening after they were shot shortly after leaving a cockfighting match at Friendship, East Bank Demerara.

Singh, who was shot about 15 times about his body, died on the spot, while Hussain, who was shot once in his neck, succumbed shortly after he was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital. Investigators are still trying to determine the motive behind the attack. However, it is suspected that it was a ‘hit’ since no valuables were taken from the dead men. Singh is believed to have been the target.

The Guyana Police Force, in a press release, had said that Singh and Hussain were talking with each other when two gunmen, whose faces were concealed with kerchiefs, approached them and opened fire.

Azrudeen Hussain

Stabroek News understands that the dead men, who were friends, had just left a venue located close to the Friendship Secondary School where the cockfighting was held.

Post-mortem examinations conducted on Wednesday confirmed that Singh died as a result of multiple gunshot injuries.  Hussain’s cause of death was given as a single gunshot wound he sustained to his neck. Their remains were yesterday handed over to their families for burial.