Two Corentyne men were yesterday remanded to prison on charges of attempted murder and wounding after the recent shooting at a wedding house at Hampshire in which three persons were wounded.
In addition to the three joint charges read against Devendra Harrichand, also known as ‘Bara,’ 31, of Lot 138 High Reef, Albion, Corentyne, and Tameshwar Khemraj, also known as ‘Rambo,’ 31, a barber of Lot 173 Nigg Village, Corentyne, the Albion Magistrate’s Court also heard that one of the accused was wanted for allegedly harbouring prison escapee Stafrei Alexander.
The first charge read stated that the accused on December 24th, 2017, at Hampshire Village, Corentyne, with intent to murder, unlawfully and maliciously wounded Terry Ramsammy, 17.
The men were also jointly charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding Nicholas Beharry, 24, with the intent to murder. A third charge stated that the accused unlawfully and maliciously wounded Samuel Samaroo, 28, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause actual bodily harm.
One of the victims had identified Harrichand, a father of two, as the shooter to this publication. The victim had alleged that Khemraj, a father of four, was armed during the shooting but did not discharge any rounds.
The police had launched an investigation and were on the hunt for the two accused. However, it was only after police held relatives of the accused overnight at the Albion Police Station that both men, accompanied by their lawyer, surrendered on Thursday.
Police Prosecutor Lennox Poliah yesterday objected to bail based on the gravity and nature of the offences and the fact that one victim, Ramsammy, is still hospitalised.
The prosecutor also noted that one of the accused, Harrichand, had a pending court matter and that an arrest warrant was issued for him in that matter because of his absence from court.
However, the accused’s attorney, Mursaline Bacchus, said that the prosecution had to provide some sort of evidence to the court that one of the victims was indeed still hospitalised. He also noted that no firearms were recovered, while he highlighted that the fact that the two men surrendered to police was in their favor.
Presiding magistrate Renita Singh then noted to Bacchus that he failed to mention that his clients were previously before the court for other matters. She stated that an arrest warrant was issued for Harrichand for allegedly harbouring a fugitive—Alexander, who had escaped from the Camp Street prison last July.
Bail was subsequently denied. The men are to return to the Albion Magistrate’s Court on January 16th for reports.
