AFTER almost seven months on the run from the police, a 47-year-old-man was on Thursday charged with the murder of a fisherman, whose lifeless body was found in sandpit in #68 Village, Corentyne last August.

Monilall Sarjou, called ‘Deportee’ of #67 Village appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court and was not required to plead to the capital offence of murder.

It is alleged that between August 22 and August 24, 2016 at #68 Village, Corentyne, Sarjou murdered 28-year-old Levan Chanderpaul.

He was represented by Attorney-at-law, Leslie Sobers, who explained to the court that the police does not have evidence to connect his client to the crime.

However, the Chief Magistrate remanded Sarjou until April 19, 2017 and transferred the matter to the Springlands Magistrate’s Court.

Ranks in Georgetown received information that the prime suspect, was still living at the #68 Village and arrested him last week.

The suspect ran and left his car behind in 2016 when detectives approached him for questioning. According to information received, the 28-year-old fisherman was last seen entering the deportee’s vehicle.

His body was later found in a sandpit a short distance from his home. His hands were bound behind his back and he was clad in only his underwear.

Chanderpaul’s mother, Mala had explained that her son had lived with her and his father, Kushipaul; on the day in question, he left home on August 22, 2016, and promised to return within two hours. His partly decomposed body was subsequently found.

When the discovery was made, investigators had speculated that the fisherman was beaten elsewhere and his body dumped in the pit, since they found no signs of blood or evidence of a struggle near the sandpit.

Chanderpaul was well known in the community and was charged numerous times with various offences, including piracy. A post mortem examination revealed that the victim died from shock and haemorrhage and that his skull was fractured.