Overseas based businessman murdered in Berbice
– One of five suspects held says robbery was the intent
Kaieteur News – One of the five persons, currently in police custody, yesterday confessed to being a part of the brutal murder of overseas-based Guyanese businessman, Hemraj Pardesi called ‘Prem’, of Lot 9 Reliance, East Canje Berbice. Police sources confirmed that the suspect who was arrested yesterday morning aback of the Rose Hall Estate (in the Canje Creek) ‘cracked’ under questioning by investigating ranks and admitted to playing a role in the death of the man. He told police that the intention was to rob Pardesi but things got out of hand.
Hemraj Pardesi
The businessman had visited a local bank and made a withdrawal of an undisclosed amount of cash on Tuesday. He was accompanied by a close acquaintance. The funds withdrawn were to offset expenses for ongoing renovation works at his Reliance property.
Kaieteur News was reliably informed that the suspect who “spilled the beans” was a few months ago released from prison after spending two years on a robbery under arms charge.
Pardesi, who returned to Guyana a few weeks ago, was staying at his Reliance property alone. He previously operated a Superbet in the bottom flat of the building but was renting it to someone else.
The area where Pardesi’s body was found.
The house where Hemraj Pardesi was staying.
Based on the information gathered by this publication, Pardesi was attacked in his yard by two suspects between the hours of 23:30hrs and midnight yesterday after his close associate who had accompanied him to the bank earlier in the day, left approximately 30 minutes earlier. Police arrived shortly after and his lifeless body with blood oozing from his nose and duct tape tied around his neck was found at the bottom of his outdoor step (that leads to the upper flat). Police sources said, a search was launched immediately for the suspects and further checks to the premises revealed that the upper flat of the building was completely ransacked. It is unclear what was stolen. There was no sign of forced entry to the building.
Jaiwantie Singh, a relative, said she got the message around 04:00hrs on Wednesday of Pardesi’s murder. She added that when she arrived at the house, police told her that “he head get a knock and dem scotch tape he up.”
Police in a statement said Pardesi was last seen alive by his nephew on Tuesday in the company of another man. Pardesi was pronounced dead at the New Amsterdam Hospital and his body is presently at the Arokium Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination.
Overseas based businessman murdered in Berbice – Kaieteur News (kaieteurnewsonline.com)