Farmer charged with murdering Bourda market labourer

A farmer was yesterday charged with the murder of Ovid Chester, a 52year-old market labourer who was stabbed to death after he allegedly conned the accused out of a net that he promised to sell.

Richard Martin, 51, of Block 22, Wismar, Linden, yesterday made his appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and he was remanded to prison at the conclusion of his arraignment.

He was not required to plead to the charge, which stated that he murdered Chester, on September 2nd at an alley off Bourda Street near North Road.

He is scheduled to return to court on September 21st.

Previously, Regional Commander of Region Four ‘ A’, Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean told Stabroek News that investigations revealed that on September 1st, the suspect took a construction net to Bourda Market to sell. While there, the suspect met Chester, who offered to sell the item for him and he agreed.

The suspect waited for some time but did not see Chester return, so he eventually left the area.

At around 10 am on September 2nd, McBean said, the suspect returned to the market armed with a knife and went in search of Chester.

Chester was confronted in an alley off Bourda Street near North Road. The suspect questioned Chester about the money from the sale of the construction net. This led to a heated argument during which the suspect pulled out the knife and stabbed Chester to his chest. Chester ran from the alley and collapsed on Bourda Street.

Vendors told Stabroek News that they only learnt Chester was stabbed after checking on him when he collapsed. Chester was subsequently pronounced dead at the Georgetown Public Hospital.