…at Canefield Nursery School
FOUR persons are in police custody following the slaying of a murder witness at the Canefield Nursery School in East Canje on Thursday morning.
The bloodied body of Kenneth Khanai, 56, of Gangaram Village, another East Canje location, was discovered by Headmistress Deomattie Bhowandin at approximately 07:45hrs, as she entered the school building.
Prior to the discovery, the teacher on approaching the building questioned why the pupils were outside the locked building when the school should have been opened for classes.

However on opening the door, she made the startling discovery of Khanai’s lifeless body, lying on a table with a gunshot injury to his forehead and his left upper back.
Teachers and curious students along with their parents were horrified at the sight of the man who was the school’s security guard. School sessions were adjourned for the day.
Khanai had been employed by Home Safe Security Services, which has its head office at New Market Street, Georgetown.
Meanwhile, this reporter was informed that Khanai’s Supervisor had visited the school location at 21:30hrs, at which time he reported that all was well.
According to information received, Khanai had requested to be within the school building while on duty and was given a key as the learning institution was without a guard hut. Within the building an undisturbed mattress was discovered.
However, neighbours said that around 02:00hrs on Thursday morning, three gunshots were heard in the vicinity of the school, but no other sound was heard.
Rohan Khanai, brother of the deceased, who is also a security guard with the same company, reportedly said that they were specifically trained on how to respond to a call.
“My brother was called by someone he was familiar with. He responded to the call by opening the window, from where he was shot at a close range to his forehead. He hurriedly turned to escape his assailant, when he was again shot at his upper back on his left side. My brother knew his killer,” he emphasized.
According to the surviving Kanhai, he was on his way home when he was informed about the incident.
“There was a large crowd at the school. As I entered the building I saw my brother lying motionless on a school table. I entered through another door where I saw policemen. I also saw two spent shells.”
Meanwhile, Khanai, alias Puri, was charged for having an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Further he was charged with being an accessory after the fact of murder, in that he allegedly harboured and assisted Ramdhanie Persaud, called ‘Prackask’ or ‘Prack’, who allegedly murdered his reputed wife Bibi Shameena Deen on March 20, 2012 .
Prior to instituting the charges on Khanai, police went to a farm owned by the now deceased man, at Besscut New Forest, East Canje where they found a .38 special revolver, 23- 16- gauge cartridges and seven live 12-gauge cartridges.
A ballistics check had revealed that the weapon was used to kill Deen, a mother of two teenage sons.
Khanai, at the time of the discovery of the weapon, had told investigators that his cousin Ramdhanie Persaud had the gun and ammunition there.
The now deceased was previously employed by the Region 6 Administration as a pump operator but following his court matters, he was thereafter employed by Home Safe Security Services.
Khanai had been married to Jagwantie Jidayal for thirty years, and their relationship produced one child who lives overseas.
Meanwhile, three men and a lone female are currently assisting police with their investigations. One of the detainees is reported to be the ‘right hand man’ of remanded prisoner Ramdhanie Persaud, called ‘Prackask’ or ‘Prack’. Investigations are continuing.
Written By Jeune Vankerick