A 43-year-old poultry vendor from Corentyne, Berbice, was remanded to prison on Monday, after being charged with the murder of an alleged bandit in a confrontation at the Port Mourant Market.

Seeindra Marimutoo, of Lot 43 Portuguese Quarter, Corentyne, appeared before Magistrate Tuanna Hardy at the Whim Magistrate’s Court, where he faced the charge of murdering 18-year-old Parmand Pertab on October 26, 2024. Due to the indictable nature of the charge, Marimutoo was not required to enter a plea.

In his defence, Marimutoo’s attorney, Latchmie Rahamat, informed the court of her intention to petition the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to review the murder charge. She argued that Marimutoo’s actions were in self-defence, a right protected under Guyana’s constitution. Rahamat further stated that eyewitness accounts of the incident were allegedly not fully documented by the police, which she suggested could impact the legal proceedings.

Marimutoo has been remanded to prison and is set to reappear in court on November 29.

The fatal incident unfolded at the Port Mourant Market, where Pertab and another male, who remains at large, reportedly attempted a robbery on a jeweller. Armed with a gun and cutlass, the pair allegedly assaulted the jeweller’s assistant and began filling a bag with stolen items.

However, as they tried to flee, the jeweller raised an alarm, drawing the attention of nearby vendors. In the ensuing chaos, Pertab reportedly discharged a round before being confronted by the crowd.

An autopsy conducted on Pertab determined that his cause of death was multiple incised wounds, shock, and hemorrhage. Police investigations are ongoing as they search for Pertab’s alleged accomplice.