Rice farmer charged with murder of Parfait Harmonie teen
Rice farmer Jairam Sieupersaud of Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, was today (Wednesday) charged with the murder of 14-year-old Christopher Basdeo.
He appeared at the Wales Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Zamilla Ally-Seepaul and was not required to plead to the indictable charge which read that between October 16 and 25 he murdered Basdeo at Parfait Harmonie.
He was remanded to prison until December 12, when he will make his next court appearance.
The 42-year-old confessed to murdering Basdeo and burying his body in a shallow grave. The teen was reported missing since October 17 after he left home to visit a friend. His partially decomposed body was found on October 25.
After intense grilling by investigators, the rice farmer admitted that he and Basdeo were consuming alcohol in their village when an argument over money ensued.
He told the police that he and the teen ended up in a physical altercation. He admitted that he picked up a piece of wood and used it to deal a blow to Basdeo’s head.
In his confession statement, the rice farmer stated that the impact from the hit resulted in the teenager falling to the ground. He said he left him on the ground and returned to his home.
However, the man said that later on that night, he returned to the location, picked up Basdeo’s body, and dug a 7ft 2” shallow grave where he buried the body.
