‘Sinbad’ jointly charged with murder of fishermen in piracy attack
Premnauth Persaud, also known as ‘Sinbad,’ who is said to be the ring leader of the April 27 piracy attack off of Suriname, was jointly charged yesterday with the murder of two fishermen.
Persaud, 43, the third accused, was yesterday jointly charged with Nakool Manohar, also known as “Fyah”, 39, of Lot 1, Number 43 Village, Corentyne, at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court, with the murders of Tilaknauth Mohabir, also known as “Kai” or “Kaiman,” and Mahesh Sarjoo. The charge read that the two men, between April 27 and May 3, murdered Mohabir and Sarjoo during the course of a robbery in Corentyne waters.
Initially, Manohar, who is being represented by attorney at law, Joel Edmond, was charged with the murder of Mohabir, however, that charge was subsequently withdrawn and the joint charge filed.
Meanwhile, Manohar's attorney asked that the charges which were initially laid against him in relation to robberies committed on the sea in 2015 and 2016 be discharged.
However, Police Prosecutor, Orin Joseph noted that he has the file for those charges. Joseph also requested two weeks to complete the file for the charge which was instituted jointly.
Meanwhile, nineteenyear-old Alexander Denheart, who was charged with Mohabir's murder as well, also appeared at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court yesterday for a report on his charge.
All three men were remanded and will return to court on June 26.
After the attack, three decomposed bodies were discovered in Surinamese waters during various searches. The authorities have ordered DNA testing to properly identify the bodies. However, relatives told Stabroek News that after they had complained that the results of the DNA tests were taking too long to return, the Surinamese authorities facilitated an identification at the mortuary in Paramaribo, Suriname where the bodies were stored. Two of Mohabir’s brothers were able to identify his body from a tattoo of his birth date on his hand and by the clothes in which his body was clad. The identification of Sarjoo, a Surinamese, was made by his sister after she had been contacted by the authorities. The fisherman’s relative said that his body bore a tattoo of a heart which she used to make the identification. Both bodies have since been laid to rest in Suriname.