… relatives suspect murder, five held

By Jeuneá Bailey Van Keric

THE bodies of four relatives, including a father and son, were recovered in the vicinity of Friendship Village, several hours after their wooden boat collided with a much larger motorized vessel, in the Berbice River on Wednesday night.

The search party, looking for the bodies, used hooks and seine in their attempt to recover the bodies before they become decomposed.

The faces of the men bore severe injuries and their relatives claimed that they were murdered, as their bodies were being removed by undertakers.

Around 14:00hrs, the bodies of Romario Denhart, 24, of Lot 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam and his cousin, Julian Mackenzie, 56, of Sand Hills, were transported by a Coast Guard vessel from the riverine community to the Berbice township.

The bodies of Godfrey Denhart, known as Freeman, 50, of Heartburn Village, East Bank Berbice, and Kidman Lindie, of Sand Hills, followed just under two hours.

According to relatives, the face of the older Denhart was disfigured.

The remains were transported to the New Amsterdam Ferry Stelling, prior to being taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where doctors confirmed their death.

The bodies are currently at the Bailey’s and Arokium Funeral Homes, respectively, awaiting post-mortems.

At the scene, relatives screamed for their loved ones whose heads were battered, from injuries sustained. It is believed that their death was instant.

Reports revealed that the wooden boat, motored by a 75 HP outboard engine, was moving at a great speed,áon the darkened waterway, when it collided with the smaller vessel. During the impact, the smaller boat was shattered while the propeller, which is a radiating blade,caused severe head injuries to the victims.

The collision was heard some distance away and when residents ran to the waterfront, they saw a lime green and grey vessel with its occupants. The smaller vessel was not seen. When questioned, the occupants claimed that all was well.

But, after pieces of the wooden boat, along with the footwear of the missing men, were seen floating in the river, it was realised that something was amiss.

A search party was mobilized, and a message was sent to the men’s relatives in New Amsterdam. Thereafter, the police and the Coast Guard were informed.

Simone De Cunha, sister of Julian Mc Kenzie, said when she was informed about the accident, she visited the Central Police Station, where an official report was made. She saw her brother– a farmer– last year. He supported his siblings and leaves to mourn 10 siblings and a son.

Meanwhile, Denhart, fondly referred to as ‘Mario’, worked to achieve every goal, recounted his mother Paula Soloman, as tears streamed down her face while seated at her Lot 41 Stanleytown, New Amsterdam home.

“Mario was my brace. He never failed me! He was my last son! Just a few days ago he urged me to open an account at his bank, so he can transfer,on monthly basis,money from his account to mine,” she said.

Denhart attended the New Amsterdam Multilateral and, later, the Guyana School of Agriculture where he obtained a Certificate in Forestry. He later attended the Georgetown Technical Institute where he successfully completed a Land Surveyor course. His first work attachment was on the East Bank Berbice roadway, before his secondment to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure..

His mother recalled that on Monday, Godfrey Denheart, called Freemanö,the father of her five children,visited her home and requested that Mario and his brother, Neil, 26, accompany him up the Berbice River.

Mario, who had taken some time off from work, decided to go on the trip since he would be able to visit a few relatives; it turned out to be his last.

The devastating news also affected the relatives of Kidman Lindie, 50, of Sand Hills. His sister, Valarie Lindie, recalled receiving a message from a cousin, who narrated the incident. She last saw her sibling, a farmer, two months ago. He was 56 years old, and had fathered two children.

Police have since launched an investigation into the incident and five persons,including the uncertified captain of the boat, powered by the 75HP outboard engine, have been arrested.

One of the persons arrested had sustained injuries to the forehead. Some 81 pounds of cannabis sativa were also recovered from the detained persons.