Guyana: Pirates sentenced to hang for murdering fishermen

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – A High Court judge Thursday sentenced five men to death for the 2016 piracy attack that left four fishermen dead.

Justice Sandil Kissoon sitting at the Berbice High Court, described the murders as a “horrific crime and an atrocity of utter and complete savagery”

He said that the five convicted men -Leon Sammy, Ganesh Naidoo, Ramesh Singh, Ramchand Latchman and Stephon Leacock had engaged in a homicidal rampage involving piracy, hijacking, and robbery on the specified days.

They all pleaded guilty to murdering Hemchand Sookdeo, 45, Dochan Sukra, 54, Dhanpaul Ramphal, 38, and Munish Churman, 26, during May 27-28, 2016, in the waters of the Lower Shell area off Nickerie, Suriname.

“Each of you is hereby sentenced to suffer death in a manner prescribed by law on each count in the indictment,” said Justice Kissoon.

The court heard that the boat captain Seepersaud Persaud and the four fishermen were out at sea when they were attacked by the defendants and thrown overboard.

The pirates first threw Sookdeo, who was injured and bleeding, into the water. Then, the other three were bound and strapped to anchors. They, too, were thrown into the ocean.

The robbers escaped with the fishermen’s catch for the day, fuel and other equipment.

Sookdeo was rescued by another vessel after swimming for almost three hours.

The police based on information received, later recovered the boat in Corentyne and the five men who were aboard were arrested and later charged.

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