Duo to stand trial for murder of Henry boys

The two men accused of brutally murdering Isaiah and Joel Henry in September 2020, were committed to stand trial at the next convenient sitting of the Berbice Assizes.

Vinod Gopaul, called ‘Magga’, 34, of Yakusari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice; Anil Sancharra, called ‘Dan Pole’ and ‘Rasta’, 33, of D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) appeared before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

Magistrate Hugh ruled that a sufficient case was made out against the duo by Police Legal Advisor Mandel Moore, according to a statement issued by the Guyana Police Force.

It should be noted that in July 2021, Magistrate Hugh had dismissed the murder charges against the two men but after stronger objections from the Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack, they were charged again.

Akash Singh, 21, called ‘Monkey, is the younger brother of Sancharra and is the main witness in the murder of the teen cousins. He told the detectives of how the boys were brutally murdered during the Preliminary Inquiry.

Government Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh was the second witness to give evidence in court. Dr. Singh conducted the post mortem on the Henry boys and testified on December 7, 2021.

The reports noted that both boys had several incised wounds on their bodies.

The post-mortem found that the two teenage cousins had died of haemorrhage and shock, due to multiple incised wounds. They both sustained a severed spine, along with multiple chops about the body. While Isaiah’s had a huge X carved on his forehead, Joel’s chest was cut open.

Their mangled bodies were discovered one day after they went to pick coconuts at the Cotton Tree Backdam in September 2020.