TWO men, who were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Corentyne businessman, Shameer Ali Mursalin, have moved to the Court of Appeal to have their conviction and sentence overturned. In May, Berbice businessman, Dennis Veerasammy and one of his employees, Basheer Harrinauth, both of Crabwood Creek, Region Six, were convicted of the October 24, 2015, murder of Mursalin by a 12-member jury at the Berbice High Court. Justice Jo-Ann Barlow sentenced the duo to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
In their appeal documents, the convicts claim that the trial judge erred in law. They are contending that the sentence was excessive and too severe. As such, they are asking the court to reserve and/or set aside their conviction and sentence. According to a police report, Mursalin’s body was discovered by police lying in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to his head at his Grant 1805 Weld Tank Dam, Crabwood Creek, Corentyne home. At the time, police were investigating a report of threatening language and damage to property and had gone to the vivtim’s house. After calling out for him for some time without any response, the police officers ventured into the yard and made the discovery.
It was reported that Mursalin and Veerasammy were ex-business partners but had an argument over a long-standing dispute. Mursalin went to Veerasammy’s home and damaged several windows. Following the investigation into Mursalin’s murder, Veerasammy and Harrinauth were arrested and had reportedly confessed to the crime under caution.