Murder suspect said Farm man had assaulted him – police

The police say that the man who is suspected of murdering Andrew Drakes on Saturday has claimed that Drakes had assaulted him the day before.

According to a police statement yesterday, Drakes and the suspect are neighbours. The suspect said that Drakes, a mason of Lot 7, Pump Station Street, Farm, East Bank Essequibo assaulted him on Friday 7th June, 2019 about 8.30 pm at his home.

As a result on Saturday at about 5.30 pm, the suspect saw Drakes sitting on a bench in front of his yard. According to the police statement he then armed himself with a cutlass and inflicted multiple wounds on Drakes  and fled the scene.

The police statement said that an off-duty female Detective Corporal who was passing at the time stopped and with the assistance of residents, pursued, disarmed and apprehended the suspect.

The police said that Drakes was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital. The body is presently at Ezekiel’s Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination.

An injury was seen to the back of the suspect’s head which the police said that he claimed he sustained whilst being apprehended.  He has since received medical attention and is cooperating with investigators.