New Amsterdam man found in canal was murdered
-drinking buddy allegedly confesses to killing
The New Amsterdam, Berbice man who was found floating in a canal in the town last week was murdered, the autopsy found and a suspect who is in police custody has since confessed to the crime.
The partly decomposed body of Cleon Anthony Outar, 28, a labourer of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, was found floating in the Republic Canal in New Amsterdam on January 27th. He was picked up and taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, and subsequently taken to the Arokium Funeral Parlour.
A post-mortem examination was done and it revealed that Outar died from asphyxiation compounded with a fractured skull and multiple trauma to the body.
Stabroek News was told that Outar was last seen on the evening of January 25th consuming alcohol at a bar in New Amsterdam with his common law wife Shandai Sanichar also known as ‘Priya’, and two friends, Jerry Heralall and Rajin Singh.
Investigators were initially told that Outar was involved in a fight with two unknown men at the bar during which he sustained an injury to his face after which the four left the bar and went their separate ways.
Police had made efforts to contact Sanichar but she had gone into hiding after his body was discovered. Heralall and Singh were detained for questioning.
During interrogation, Heralall reportedly told investigators that he and Outar had a misunderstanding after he requested that Sanichar imbibe with him to which Outar objected.
Heralall admitted to investigators that he punched Outar to the face after which the man started to bleed from his mouth. Outar then reportedly washed the blood away from his face and returned to the bar where they continued to consume alcohol.
However, he subsequently left the bar and Heralall claimed he followed him out and picked up a piece of wood and dealt the man a lash to his head and about his body.
After Outar became motionless, Heralall reportedly told police, he dragged him to the nearby canal where he threw him in and then returned to the bar and continued imbibing with Sanichar and others.
Heralall was taken to the scene of the crime where he identified the areas to the investigators. He is expected to appear in court sometime this week.