The body of a 45-year-old Labourer of No.5 Village, West Coast Berbice was found floating in a trench at No.41 backdam, West Coast Berbice on Monday.
The dead man was identified as Odit Persaud Thom. Police said that the body was discovered in a decomposed state with chop wounds.
The incident which led to Thom’s death is believed to have taken place between 08:00 hrs on March 02 and 12:30 hrs on March 04, 2024 .
Reports indicate that Thom took care of cattle in the backdam for several persons including 28-year-old Pork Knocker Rennison Mitchell of Seafield Village, WCB. Thom was reportedly staying at a camp located at Seafield Backdam.
Mitchell told police that cattle owned by him and other persons that were under the care of Thom were impounded at the Weldaad Police Station on March 03 by Rajeshwar Mohan called “Old Bull”, a Rice farmer from Foulis, WCB.
Mitchell said he ventured to the backdam in search of Thom but could not locate him at the camp. On Monday, he and other cattle farmers continued their search for Thom. The deceased was discovered motionless, floating in a trench at No. 41 backdam which separates the rice fields from the savannah.
The police were summoned and the body of Thom was retrieved. Closer inspection revealed that the body was already decomposing and had gapping chop wounds to both arms and the head.
The body was clad in black jeans and a black shirt with a haversack still on his back. The haversack included toiletries and his ID card. A pair of slippers and a black cap were also found nearby on a dam near where the body was found.
The body is presently at Bailey Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy.
