Preliminary Inquiry To Begin In Murder Of Guyana Teens

News Americas, GEORGETOWN, Guyana. Mar. 17, 2021: A preliminary inquiry into the murders of two Guyanese teens, who were brutally killed last September, is set to begin next month.

Guyana Magistrate Peter Hugh on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, upheld the PI application by Attorney at Law Dexter Todd into the murder of 16-year-old Isiah Henry and 19-year-old Joel Henry of West Coast Berbice, Guyana. A preliminary inquiry is when a judge reviews the evidence in a case to decide if there’s enough evidence to have a trial. A preliminary inquiry is also called a preliminary hearing.

Akash Singh, 19, called “Monkey,” of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo (EBE); his stepbrother, 33-year-old Anil Sancharra, called “Dan pole” and “Rasta,” of D’ Edward Village, WCB; and 34-year-old Vinod Gopaul, called “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice, are charged with the murders of the teens.

The three men remanded for the murders of Guyanese teens Joel and Isiah Henry. (iNews Guyana image)

Magistrate Hugh said he will commence the PI on April 3rd and that the Court will hear the matter two days per week, through April11.

On September 6, 2020 the badly mutilated bodies of Isaiah and Joel were found in the backlands of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice – almost two days after they had left their Number Three Village, WCB home to pick coconuts.

The murders of the Henry cousins had sparked protests across several villages along the West Coast Berbice corridor, where commuters were beaten and robbed. With roads blocked, some vehicles were also torched.

Then days later, on September 9, 17-year-old Haresh Singh was found murdered at the Number Three Village backlands. It is suspected that his death was in retaliation for the murders of Isaiah and Joel, since he is related to one of the persons initially held by the Police for the cousins’ murders. However, the Police are yet to make any breakthrough in that case.