Cattle farmer pleads guilty to killing Bloomfield block maker

A cattle farmer on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the murder of the Bloomfield block maker whose remains were discovered in two shallow graves at Number 55 Village, Corentyne in October, 2017.

In 2017, Bharrat Ramsaywack, also known as `Bobby’, faced the charge that between October 2 and October 6 in Number 55 Village, Corentyne, he murdered Mahendra Ghanie, also known as `Sanjay’, 21.

However, on Tuesday in the midst of a trial at the High Court in Berbice before Justice Simone Morris Ramlall, Ramsaywack, who was  represented by attorney at law, Latchmie Rahamat, opted to plead guilty to the offence of murder.

He will return to court on May 4, for sentencing.

Meanwhile, yesterday Mohanlall Suesankar, also known as `Razor Blade’, and a boy who was 16 at the time of his arrest in 2017, were released after Justice Morris–Ramlall upheld no-case submissions.

The men were on trial for being accessories after the fact in connection with Ghanie’s murder.

Suesankar was represented by attorney at law, Arud Gossai and the other accused by attorney at law, Mursaline Bacchus, while the state was represented by attorney at law, Muntaz Ali.

Based on information gathered, the police officer who took the caution statements from the accused could not be located which led to the men’s attorneys submitting no-case submissions which were upheld.

In October, 2017, Ghanie’s relatives became worried after they were unable to contact him, a young block maker who was employed at Ramsaywack’s house in Number 55 Village, Corentyne.

The man’s relatives became suspicious and eventually headed to Number 55 Village to search. During the search, residents told Ghanie’s relatives that the man’s boss was seen lighting a “big fire” in the cemetery behind his house.

After residents related the information about the fire to the police, Ghanie’s boss, Ramsaywack and one of his workers were arrested for questioning. After his arrest, residents said they noticed another fire being lit.

The following day, what appeared to be the burnt remains of Ghanie were discovered in the shallow graves behind of the cattle farmer’s house

A police source then had told Stabroek News that the employer and the two accused accessories had admitted to the murder of Ghanie.

The trio was eventually charged and remanded in October, 2017.

According to the source, the men claimed that Ghanie stole two goats from his employer, who is a cattle farmer, and a tile and block maker.

The source had said the men told investigators that they struck Ghanie on his head, rendering him unconscious, after which they dragged his body to the back of the employer’s house, where a cemetery is located.

The source related that the men claimed they took the body to a shallow grave and set it on fire. However, in the wee hours of the next day, they returned and discovered that the lad’s body had not been completely burnt.  As a result, they took the body to another shallow location and set another fire in a bid to cover up their crime.