BURTHRAM Ramnauth, better known as ‘Corn Curls’, was remanded to prison
when he appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court, on Monday, on a charge of murder of Chanderpaul Dhuman, a rice farmer.

Ramnauth, 33, of Lot 88 Johanna, South Black Bush Polder, was arraigned before Magistrate Renita Singh, clad in a white shirt and black pants to answer the charge of murder. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge which stated that, between December 30, 2019, and January 1, 2020, he murdered Dhuman, known as ‘Jack’, at Johanna, North Black Bush Polder. The matter was set for disclosures on January 21 despite the attorney for the defence requesting the 20th. The matter will be heard at the Mibicuri Magistrate’s Court at the next hearing.

Speaking with the media following the hearing, family members of Dhuman were puzzled as to why only ‘Corn Curls’ appeared in court, while their loved one was beaten by another accused as well, following a complaint over cattle destroying his rice field. According to information, around 20:00 hours on December 30, in First Street Johanna, Dhuman, a father of four, while riding a bicycle, noticed the suspects who were identified as Ramnauth and another as Deoraj Narine, 44, called “Davo”, along with others, were drinking in a yard. The rice farmer stopped and informed the men that their goats were destroying his fields. Shortly after, Dhuman was confronted in the street and dealt several kicks about his body, had his bicycle thrown in a trench and struck to the head with an iron bar.
The suspects fled the scene but were arrested shortly after by police.

The badly injured man managed to walk a short distance but collapsed on a bridge. His mother and other relatives were informed and quickly reached to the scene, where they found the man bleeding profusely from a wound to the head. He was rushed to the Mibicuri Hospital, but due to the extent of injuries to his head he was transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital and then to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). He died while on life support in the intensive care unit at the GPHC, on Wednesday, January 1.