Pomeroon farmers died of shots to head

-autopsies confirm

Ambrose Baharally
Ambrose Baharally

Autopsies performed on the bodies of Ambrose Baharally and Martin Godette, the Pomeroon farmers who were shot dead on Sunday, have found that both men died from gunshot injuries to the head.

A police source confirmed the findings of the autopsies to Stabroek News.

Three persons, including the wife of Baharally, remain in custody in connection with the murders.

Stabroek News was told that the hands of the suspects and the dead men were swabbed for gunpowder residue and police are Divisional Commander Khali Pareshram yesterday said that the police are preparing a file on the case that will be sent for legal advice.

Martin Godette

The motive for the killings remains unclear but from all indications it seems as if the dead men knew their killers.

The police have said that a preliminary investigation revealed that Baharally, 28, of Grant Stelling, Hope, Lower Pomeroon, and Godette, 23, of Friendship Canal, Lower Pomeroon, were seen conversing with the suspects and shortly after two loud explosions were heard and the suspects were seen fleeing the scene in a boat.

A source from the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) has said that the agency is investigating to determine whether the killings are linked to the January 2nd cocaine bust at Pomeroon, where 11 kilogrammes of cocaine were found during a raid.

As a result of questioning, one of the three persons arrested took police to a location where a bag was found with a 9 mm pistol, a .38 revolver, 16 live cartridges, 21 live .38 rounds, 19 live 9mm rounds, six live .32 rounds, two 9 mm spent shells and 51.5 grams of cannabis.

The bag with the items is believed to have been owned by Baharally since they were found in an abandoned yard some 40 feet away from his home.

Following the shooting on Sunday, the men were discovered lying motionless with gunshot wounds to their heads. They were later taken to the Charity Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Baharally’s wife, who was inside the house, rushed out and found her husband and Godette lying on the ground with two gunshot wounds. She then noticed that the assailants had run towards their boat and they escaped along the river.

A potential witness, said to be a farmer, who was in the vicinity when the shooting occurred, was detained on Monday to assist with the investigation. He had reportedly fled the scene after the first gunshot.

Godette’s mother, Miquel Benn had related to this newspaper that her family knows nothing about her son’s death.

The woman had also said that since the incident she has been hearing different accounts of what transpired.