By Sherah Alleyne

FORMER Guyana Police Force Sergeant Colin Bailey of South Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara and labourer Colin Grant of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, were yesterday remanded to prison by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan after they were jointly charged with the murder of 36-year-old businesswoman, Sirmattie Ramnaress.

The murder of the businesswoman, also known as Parvati Singh, of Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, was allegedly committed between August 30 and 31, 2013 during the course, or furtherance, of a robbery.

Police prosecutor Neville Jeffers told the court that the file was still incomplete.

The matter was adjourned until May 4, 2016 for report and completion of the file.

In 2013, Ramnaress was found dead in her home at Diamond and it was suspected that she might have been murdered by persons close to her. The 36-year-old was found in the lower flat of her posh home by an employee who had turned up for work.

The body bore stab wounds, her house was ransacked and the lower flat drenched with diesel but not set afire.

The police had initially expressed an interest in the woman’s former partner who was a serving policeman at the time of her death. However, when her body was discovered, the man was reportedly on escort duties.

The Police Force re-opened the case last year and arrested a suspect, who allegedly claimed that he was paid to kill the woman and to remove the device that stored her surveillance footage.