Farmer admits to killing, burning worker’s body over stolen goat

Cattle farmer Bharrat Ramsaywack admitted to the 2017 brutal killing of his employee over a missing goat.

His son and accomplice were freed of the crime due to insufficient evidence.

Ramsaywack, 50, of Number 55 Village Corentyne Berbice was on trial before Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall at the Berbice High Court for murder.

Ramsaywack’s 22-year-old son and their worker, Mohanlall Sewsankar were indicted for accessory after the fact.

Though now an adult, because he was charged as a juvenile in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, the son’s identity is protected.

However, during the trial, Ramsaywack pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter and a new charge was put to him.

He admitted to unlawfully killing 21-year-old Mahendra Ghanie between October 02 and 06,2017, at Number 55 Village. His sentence was deferred until May 4.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the two other men made a no-case submission and called for the indictment to be dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence.

The Judge later upheld the submission and stated that the state had failed to establish a prima facie case for the offence.

She then ordered the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

According to reports, Ghanie left his home on October 2, 2017, after he was contacted by his employer, Ramsaywack.

Ramsaywack became annoyed after confronting Ghanie about stealing the goat, which Ghanie denied.

He then hit Ghanie in the head with a piece of wood and then beat him at the back of his head and foot, causing him to fall on his face.

Ghanie was then tied up with a piece of rope and dragged into the yard behind Ramsaywack’s house.

Ramsaywack and others lit a fire using coconut branches, shells, and kerosene, and dumped Ghanie’s body into it.

The next day, Ramsaywack noticed that Ghanie’s body was not completely burnt, so he rekindled the fire.

On October 5, 2017, Ghanie’s mother went to Ramsaywack’s home in search of her son, where she observed the accused acting in a suspicious manner.

Ramsaywack was arrested that same day and admitted to the crime. He took the police to the area where some of Ghanie’s bones were found.

Ramsaywack’s sentence has been deferred until May 4.