– father and son in custody

A FATHER and son are in police custody following the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old at a barbeque at Third Street, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, early Sunday morning over money won by the deceased at a chic-chic board game.

According to a police report, on Sunday morning at about 00:15hrs at Third Street, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, the deceased Brian Dwarka, called “Blackie”, 23, of Lot 128 Mon Repos South, went to a barbeque located a short distance away from his home with a group of friends.

The deceased was with his friends when he was reportedly approached by the two suspects, businessman Suraj Singh Mei, 50, who operates a grocery shop at Lot 257 Third Street, Mon Repos Pasture and his 24-year-old son, Andrew Singh Mei, a mason of the same address.

Police reported that Andrew Singh Mei had a knife in his hand. An argument then ensued during which the friends of Dwarka ran away, leaving him with the father and son.

According to one of the friends of the deceased, he returned shortly to check on Dwarka and found him in a nearby yard motionless in a pool of blood.

The matter was reported to the police and the deceased was rushed to the GPHC where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Arrest
Acting on information received, police went to the home of the suspects and Andrew Singh Mei was arrested after he was found hiding in a toilet.

It is reported that his father, Suraj Singh Mei had gone to the Beterverwagting Police Station after the alleged incident where he made a report that the deceased robbed him and beat him up.

Cops there were not aware that he was involved in the alleged murder, so he was issued with a medical after which he left for the GPHC where he was arrested by ranks who had escorted the deceased there.

A knife, suspected to be the murder weapon, was recovered in a nearby trench and is lodged with the police pending investigations.

The deceased, Brian Dwarka, received a single stab wound to the right side chest.

Shocked
Meanwhile, at the home of Dwarka, relatives were still shocked and related what they heard had transpired which caused the death of their loved one.

His aunt, Chandramattie Sanichara, with whom he grew up, said Brian, better known as “Blackie” was like her own son and that she took care of him since he was a baby and his death has caused her immense grief.

She recalled that on Saturday night he was at home and after he had dinner, told her he was going to the barbeque. She recalled giving him money and warned him to return home early.

Sanichara added that he did return home at around 22:30 hrs for some money and said he would be back but she never saw him alive again.

She, however, retired to bed and was aroused by loud screaming in the street at midnight and was told that “Blackie” was stabbed.

Stabbed
In her haste to get to “Blackie,” she and other relatives ran up the street and went to the scene, where they found him in a yard close to where the barbeque was held. They then removed him, barely alive and ‘panting’ for breath, and transported him to the hospital.

A cousin, Lisa Sanichara, told the Guyana Chronicle that when they arrived at the scene, although most of his friends drove there, no one was willing to assist them in taking him to the hospital.

She recalled she had to beg for a phone call to summon the police and even pleaded with villagers to lend them a sheet to absorb the blood.

When they found “Blackie” he was still bleeding from the single stab wound to his right side chest.

Chic-chic board game
Giving an account of what transpired at the scene, Dereck Mahadeo, a close friend of the deceased, told this newspaper that “Blackie” was playing at the chic-chic board and was winning, much to the dislike of the two suspects, who were also in the gambling game at the barbeque.

He added that the businessman’s son first approached them and expressed his displeasure as to “Blackie’s” winnings and said he wanted back his money, since they were cheating.

It was then, Mahadeo reported, that there was a row after which the father and son began hurling empty bottles at them. They ran off to avoid being injured but “Blackie” was not so lucky.

Mahadeo stated that he was not aware that his friend was not in the group until he went in search of him and found him in a yard in a pool of blood.

He is of the opinion that “Blackie” was cornered and knifed to death and left there for dead after they ran off.

The 23-year-old was described as a quiet, willing person who went about his business in a simple way. He worked as a mason/carpenter/painter.

His mother, who resides in Suriname, has since been informed of his demise and funeral arrangements are being made.

Michel Outridge photos saved in a file in Graphics as Brian Dwarka and Brian Dwarka 1.
Caption: Dead: Brian Dwarka.