A MAN who was arrested over the weekend for marijuana possession is expected to be charged with murder after investigators realised he was also wanted over a year ago for the murder of 46-year-old Patrick Boodie, called ‘Budie’, or ‘Bossman’ of 189, Levi Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam.The man in police custody has been identified as 33-year-old Gariban Ali, called ‘Bagie.’
Divisional Commander Marlon Chapman said investigations have revealed that the young man who was arrested for cannabis possession is also wanted for a murder in Berbice.
“The police in Berbice will deal with him for that purpose. In the meanwhile [sic], we are doing our investigations as far as the narcotics are concerned,” Chapman noted.
Reports reveal that Gariban and his brother, Mohamed Ali, called ‘John’, 34, were wanted for the murder of 46-year-old Patrick Boodie.
They were also wanted for wounding Boodie’s brother, Calvin Charles, 44, a pork-knocker of 195 Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, and a cousin, Jason Nicholson, 28, a mason and taxi driver of High Dam.
The incident occurred on April 15, 2015, at Levi Dam, New Amsterdam, Berbice.
A post-mortem conducted on the body of Boodie concluded that he died from shock and haemorrhage caused by gunshot injuries. Seven bullet holes and three chop wounds were found on the body.
The next day two houses belonging to the suspects were set on fire, minutes apart. Ali, who was identified as the shooter, was recently released from jail after serving three years on narcotics charges.
According to Calvin Charles, there was no dispute. He stated that he was asked by his nephews and nieces to assist them in building a house on a plot of land at High Dam at the back of Angoy’s Avenue, since they have to remove from where they are residing. He said that he and his brother Patrick Boodie and five others went to the scene to clear the land and start construction of the house.
The man stated that as they were constructing the house, he decided to light some dry grass that was in the yard. The fire got out of hand and spread over to an empty land next door. He said that his brother told him that the men complained to his brother that the fire had burnt some materials on their land.
Then with his brother urging him, he decided to go and investigate. Upon reaching the area, the man stated that one of the men chucked him and he retaliated. He was unaware that another one was coming behind him and dealt him a lash to his head.
The man who had chucked him then whipped out a knife and stabbed him to his left hand. He said he felt dizzy after losing blood, but was still able to escape and inform his brother of what was going on.
His brother then left and went to the scene, but he had no time to inquire what was happening, as he was dealt a chop by one of the men and then he fell to the ground. It was then that the ex-convict came up with a pistol and started shooting. The man said his brother was struck several times. The gunman continued shooting until the pistol was empty.
Charles stated that upon seeing that, he lunged at the shooter and hit the gun out of his hand, and they began to scuffle. He said he was getting the better of the exchanges when he saw the man’s friend approaching with a cutlass. He immediately had to run to safety.
He said that the shooter then picked up the gun and a relative retrieved the warheads and they left the scene. Charles said he then tried to assist his badly wounded brother, who had received several gunshot wounds to his lower body and a severe chop in the vicinity of his left ear.
His cousin Jason Nicholson was standing on his bridge nearby when he was struck by a bullet to his right upper arm. They were all rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where Patrick Boodie was pronounced dead on arrival.
