Court told of beating, torture by police
ADONY James, 31 of Roxanne Burnham Gardens, Georgetown; Sheldon Chase, 28 of Pike Street, Kitty; Doonauth Ketwaroo, called “Pumpkin”, 27 of Good Hope, East Coast Demerara; Tony Thomas, 27, of Bel Air, Georgetown and Michael Lewis, called “Jet lee”, 37, of Sheriff Street, Georgetown, were yesterday remanded to prison, charged with the murder of businessman Rajendra Singh of Enmore, East Coast Demerara.The men appeared before magistrate Ann Mc Lennon in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and were not allowed to plead to the indictable charge. The charge stemmed from the kidnapping of the businessman who was later discovered dead in Le Repentir Cemetery.

The kidnappers had demanded a ransom which was not paid.
All five of the men are accused of murdering the businessman between Saturday April 5 and Wednesday April 9. With the exception of Chase, all the other accused were represented.

The court heard that the accused were tortured and beaten by the police and forced to sign statements.
The court was also told of one of the accused receiving slaps and cuffs to his ear.
One lawyer told the court one of his two clients could positively identify the police officers who abused him and tortured him. The attorney also told the court that in addition to slaps and cuffs which his client received, bags were put over his head and he beaten with an object he could not see.

The lawyer asked the court for his client to be afforded the opportunity to seek medical attention, since his request for this was denied at the police station.
Magistrate Mc Lennon then ordered that the accused who claimed to have been tortured be seen by doctors, and where necessary by the health worker at the Georgetown Prisons.

Three ranks were named in the beating and torture of the accused at the Sparendaam and Cove and John Police Stations.
One lawyer told the court that his client is innocent of all charges brought before him and that he has persons who can attest to his whereabouts for the period the police are claiming that he was involved in the killing of the businessman.

Businessman Rajendra Singh was on the evening of April 5 snatched from his business place by persons who bundled him into his own vehicle and drove away.
The wife of the man was later approached and told to pay a ransom of $50M. The next day the ransom demanded was reduced to $25M.
The ransom was not paid by the deadline stipulated by the kidnappers, and it is believed that it was then that the victim was shot in the head with his hands tied behind his back.
The matter will be called again on May 21, 2014.
By Leroy Smith