THE police are still to complete their investigation into the murder of 75-year-old retired professor Pairadeau Mars, almost two months after five teenagers were charged with the offence.The teens made their second court appearance before City Magistrate Leron Daly on Friday, and were further remanded until July 14, when they are expected to be served with statements following police investigations.

Addressing the magistrate, Police Prosecutor Bharat Mangru explained that he was not in possession of the file because the police have not completed their investigations into the murder.
The teenagers had, on May 18, appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan jointly charged with the murder of the former University of Guyana Professor, which allegedly occurred at his Lot 395 Bissessar Street, Prashad Nagar home during the course of a robbery.

The five teens -– three lads and two lasses between the ages of 15 and 17 -– face the indictable charge of murder, allegedly committed when they beat and bound Professor Mars in his home. While in police custody, the teens have reportedly confessed to the murder/robbery.

The professor was found by his wife in his home, on the day in question at about 18:30hrs, with his hands and feet duct-taped and with injuries to his head. The house was ransacked, and a number of articles and cash were missing. He was pronounced dead on arrival at a private hospital.

The teens, reportedly known to Professor Mars, were arrested after neighbours observed the group leaving his residence with suitcases, and entering a car which left the scene.

His wife subsequently returned home and found his bloodied and lifeless body in the house. Less than 24 hours later, police arrested the suspects and recovered a sum of cash, along with a laptop computer, iPod and PlayStation that were taken from Mars’s home.

Professor Mars had specialised in African Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, USA, having studied history at the University of Guyana and at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

He was also credited with developing an international academic exchange project between Africana Studies, the College of Urban Labor and Metropolitan Affairs (CULMA), and the University of Guyana.

A post-mortem had revealed that his death was due to manual strangulation compounded by multiple fractures to the head and face.