Investigators are said to have good evidence linking Deonarine Bhihari to the 18-year-old murder he was arrested for over the weekend and are in the process of reconstructing a case file in the matter.
This is according to Divisional Commander Edmond Cooper who informed Stabroek News that up to yesterday afternoon the police were trying to locate the original file in the matter.
In the meantime, Cooper said ranks working on the investigation are in the process of compiling a new file and already have in their possession statements from persons who were associated.
Once this is completed, he said the file will be sent for advice and Bhihari is likely to be charged.
Bhihari was arrested on Saturday evening at a relative’s Enmore, East Coast Demerara residence after managing to evade the police for 18 years.
Information reaching Stabroek News had revealed that Bhihari was hiding in Venezuela for some time. He reportedly returned to the country sometime this year due to the current situation there.
He is accused of fatally chopping Daniel Singh in 2000.
On May 21, 2000, 49-year-old Singh, a single father of four, from Hope West, Enmore, was chopped to death by a cutlass-wielding man. The man had also hacked three of Singh’s dogs to death and injured another one while three of his children stood and watched on in horror.
One of Singh’s sons, Vishal, who was 12 at the time of the incident, had told this newspaper that around 5 am he and his younger brother were awakened by a loud commotion. The boy had related that when he peeked through the window he saw the attacker, wearing just his underwear, hacking away with a cutlass at his father.
After brutally attacking Singh, the man turned his attention to the three dogs that were barking in the yard and killed them. Singh’s daughter, Nalini, who also witnessed the attack, was screaming at the man before he started to attack her too. The girl was chopped on her hands twice and only managed to escape from more serious injuries after she and her siblings ran to a bedroom and locked the door.
The attacker fled from the house, scaled a fence and escaped.
Neighbours who were awakened by the loud noise rushed to the house where they found Singh with several chops about his body on the ground, the three dead dogs and the children locked in their room. They were then rushed to the hospital where Nalini was treated for her wounds. Singh was also taken to the hospital but did not regain consciousness and died several days after.
Singh’s relatives had related to Stabroek News that they were made aware of the man’s presence in the country and had been working with the police as well as lawyers on apprehending the man.
They were finally able to swoop down and arrest him on Saturday.
