Berbice Police have re-arrested one of the suspects who had been released in connection with the brutal killing of a mother and son at Rose Hall Town.
The bodies of Melissa Arokium and her young son Anthony were on August 23rd last found with multiple chop wounds at their Mangrove Street, Rose Hall, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) house.
News Room was informed by relatives that the man who is again in custody is a cousin of Melissa Arokium. He was arrested for breaking and entering the house where the bodies were found.
The suspect is thought to have a mental disorder.
A relative related to the News Room that Nicholas Arokium and Cerrano Arokium (brothers of Melissa) would normally check on the house since it had been handed over to the family.
The relative noted that on Sunday when Cerrano visited the house, the lock on the gate was broken and the cousin was in the house, claiming he was given the house to live in by Melissa.
According to Cerrano, he visited the house around 09:00 hrs after he was informed that his cousin was living in the house.
When the cousin was told to come out of the house, “he start broadside the place with cutlass and I see he come outside and I just ride and go away,” Cerrano said.
Cerrana then went to the Police station; by that time, the cousin had chopped down all the trees and plants in the yard.
He said that it appeared the cousin had been living in the house for a few days since there were indications that he was cooking and sleeping in the room where Anthony Arokium was murdered.
The family is not pleased with the way the Police investigation is going.
“…the Police ain’t handling this story as they should,” Cerrano stated.
News Room understands that the cousin frequented the house prior to the murders and on the day the discovery of the bodies was made, he was arrested at a house in Rose Hall with two cutlasses, a rambo knife, a large amount of weed, and cash. He was released from custody shortly after.
The Regional Commander Shivepersaud Bhaccus has not responded to the multiple inquiries made by the media representatives in Berbice. He would only say that the matter is in the hands of the Major Crimes Unit.
DNA samples/fingerprints that were taken from the home over a month ago have not returned as yet.
