April 27 ,2021
The Preliminary Inquiry into the murder of the Henry cousins kick-started on Monday with Akash Singh the man who was charged separately for the killing of the boys leading and defending himself.
The hearings are being done virtually before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court and three persons have laid depositions to date. The three persons include Mr Gladstone Henry the father of Isaiah Henry one of the two murder victims. The other two persons are residents of #3 Village West Coast Berbice who knew the two Henry boys. Two more persons should have laid depositions on Monday but they failed to show up and further hearing has been set for May 10.
Police Prosecutor Inspector Phillip Sheriff who is conducting the preliminary hearing for the prosecution has indicated that fifteen more persons are expected to lay depositions, before the Police close their case. Akash Singh of Zeelugt Squatting Area, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) allegedly murdered Isaiah Henry, 16, and Joel Henry, 19 between September 5, 2020, and September 6, 2020, at Cotton Tree Backdam, WCB. At the PI to date Singh who is also known as Monkey is conducting his own defence. He has declined cross examination of the persons who have laid depositions to date. Two other men, Singh’s stepbrother, 34-year-old Anil Sancharra, called “Dan pole” and “Rasta,” of D’ Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB); and 30-year-old Vinod Gopaul, called “Magga,” of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice have also been charged with the murder of the Henry boys.
Their charges, laid jointly are being heard separately from the charge against Singh. The PI into their charges which will also be held at the Blairmont’s Magistrate Court, will begin on May 3rd next. The badly mutilated bodies of Isaiah Henry, 16, and Joel Henry, 19 both of Number Three Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB)were found in a clump of bushes in the backlands of Cotton Tree Village on September 6th 2020 after they failed to return home from a trip into the forested area the day before.
Both bodies bore several ‘chop wounds’. Isaiah had the letter ‘X’ carved on the back of his head and forehead, while Joel’s chest was cut open, exposing his organs.
The horrific manner in which the teenagers were killed sparked outrage in the villages and many residents took their protest to the main roadway collecting debris and setting them alight on the roadway. Three days later 17-year- old Haresh Singh, of Number Three Village, who was said to be a relative of one of the persons who was being investigated in connection with the Henry killings was found murdered in the Number Two Village backdam, a village near to where the bodies of the Henry boys were found. Haresh Singh it was said had gone into the backlands on an errand to transport water for a relative working on a farm.