Ramjattan, senior cops head to Suriname after deadly pirate attack

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan along with the Deputy Crime Chief and Deputy Commander of ‘B’ Division will be departing for Suriname as investigations into the deadly attack on Guyanese fishermen continue.

The Guyana Police Force in a statement today said the visit follows collaboration between law enforcement authorities in Guyana and Suriname following the recent attack by pirates in Suriname waters.

The team will be departing Guyana this evening and is expected to return on Tuesday, May 08, 2018.

Additionally, the police said the Immigration Department through the Office of the Commissioner of Police has expedited the processing of seven passport applications of Guyanese nationals who are relatives of the missing fishermen allegedly attacked by the pirates.

The Guyana Police Force said that information thus far indicates that apart from the four victims who reported the attack to Suriname authorities, three bodies have been recovered and one survivor from the sixteen who are reported missing.

On the local scene, based on information provided by the authorities in Suriname, three men are in custody, as investigations continue here.

Four boats carrying some 20 fishermen were attacked off the coast of neighbouring Suriname on April 27, 2018.  They were beaten and dumped overboard with heavy objects attached to their bodies and left to die.

The survivor- a boat captain –recounted a horrifying story of being chopped and thrown overboard and even shot at.

Six persons — all believed to be Guyanese — are in police custody in Suriname while the search continues for the remaining fishermen.

What we know so far:

• Four boats carrying some 20 fishermen were attacked in the vicinity of the Wia Wia bank in Suriname on April 27, 2018 by five pirates.

• They were beaten and dumped overboard with heavy objects attached to their bodies and left to die.

• 16 of the fishermen were said to be missing

• There are five survivors, including Sherwin Lovell, the fisherman who was stranded at sea for six days after he jumped overboard

• Three bodies were spotted and recovered at various points.

• On May 3, one of the bodies, identified as that of Danesh Persaud, was retrieved.

• The three bodies are being held at a mortuary in Paramaribo.

• Police in Berbice have three persons in custody, including a Corentyne boat owner

• Police in Suriname are questioning seven persons, including a Guyanese who was handed over to them by local fishermen

• It is suspected that the pirate attack is revenge for the murder of Somnauth Manohar, 50, who was gunned down in Suriname on March 30.

• His brother, Nakool Manohar called “Fyah”, a businessman of Number 43 Village, was questioned by local police

• The missing men so far identified are: Tilaknauth Mohabir, 50, also known as ‘Kai’; Ganesh Beharry, Ralph Anthony Couchman, 19, also known as ‘Burnham’; Ramesh Sancharra, 48; Glenroy Jones, 21; Ramnarine Singh; Bharat Heeralall also known as “Record”, 49; Sunil known as Poddock, Mahesh Sarjoo, 35 and Rajkumar Bissessar.