AFTER evading lawmen for almost two years, two Tain, Corentyne men were on Thursday arraigned before Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh, via Skype, at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court where the indictable charge of murder was read to them.

The pair, Dannyram Ramdhanny, called ‘Rocky’, 24, and Kumar Bhagwandin, called ‘Scarecrow’, 25, are charged with the murder, in June 2020, of 82-year-old Chandarie Budhoo, popularly known as ‘Aunty Dayo’ at her Tain Settlement home on the Corentyne.

After the charge was read to the men, they were remanded, and the matter transferred to the Whim Magistrate’s Court for report on April 4.

The charges reportedly followed months of intense investigations into a series of break-and-enter and larceny reports in several Corentyne communities.

On the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), a juvenile and his father were invited to the Whim Police Station, where, under interrogation of Corporal Dean-Smith and Constable Nelson, the youngster revealed that he was present at a certain house at the time the plot to rob the pensioner was being hatched.

It is alleged that after the plan was finalised, the defendants and their accomplices headed for the home of the deceased, where, on arrival, they broke a window to gain access into the upper flat of the two-storied building.

Reports are that shortly after the intruders would have gotten into the house, ‘Aunty Dayo’ could be heard screaming for several minutes before suddenly falling silent.

About half-an-hour thereafter, as the intruders exited the premises, what appeared to be blood could be seen on the feet and slippers of one of them, while another carried a black ‘string-bag’ in his hand.

When the bag was eventually opened, it was seen to contain a quantity of gold earrings, chains, and finger rings. The following day, the juvenile told the police, he was given $5,000, and warned not to reveal what had transpired to anyone.

The following morning, Wednesday, June 7, 2020, villagers woke to the news that ‘Aunty Dayo’s lifeless body was discovered, still clad in her nightgown, with her hands and feet bound with pieces of garments. Word is that blood could be seen oozing from her nostrils, while what looked like strangulation marks were clearly visible on her neck. The house, meanwhile, looked like a tornado had ripped through it.

According to Aunty Dayo’s nephew, Ashton Deonarine, his aunt, who’d lived alone, had been beaten and relieved of cash and jewellery before, but had never reported the matter to the police, out of fear.