Five suspected pirates charged with murder

Last Updated on Friday, 3 June 2016, 12:45 by Denis Chabrol

Five men, who attacked several fishermen aboard a vessel in Nickerie, Suriname, were Friday charged with the murder of one of the victims.

The Guyana Police Force said the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Ali-Hack advised that the men be charged for the offence. “The act was allegedly committed on May 28, 2016 in the Corentyne River where the deceased was thrown overboard and left to drown,” police said.

Dead is Hamechand Sookdeo of Number 55 Village, Corentyne.

Ramchand Latchman, Ganesh Naidoo, Leon Sammy, Stephen Leacock and Ramesh Singh all of Corentyne, Berbice, were charged with the capital offence of murder under the Piracy Act. Police have already said that the accused were caught at No.65 Village Foreshore, Corentyne in a boat that matched the description given

They appeared at the Number 51 Magistrate’s Court where they were not required to plead to the charge and were remanded to prison.

The case was postponed until July 06, 2016 for report.

Prior to the instituting of the charges, Guyanese police had travelled to  Lower Shell Area, Nickerie, Suriname where the attack was carried out by the cutlass-wielding pirates.

Three other fishermen are still missing and feared drowned.