Two men, one of whom is the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Sad’r Boys Orphanage were yesterday charged with the murder of 14-year-old orphan Raheem Abdool.
The men, Nazir Hamid, 37, the acting CEO and Yusuf Rahaman, 26, called Kenneth, a former inmate of the institution appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen and were indicted for the capital offence. They were not required to plead to the charges. Hamid, of 51 Russell and Evans Streets, Charlestown is also a businessman and the manager of Rahaman’s Spare Parts Store. Rahaman of 84 Garnett Street, Newtown Kitty is employed by Hamid. Both are alleged to have beaten the boy to death at the store.
According to the charges levelled against the men, they committed the capital act sometime between Monday, Decmber 16 and Tuesday, December 17 last year. It is alleged that on December 16 at about 4.30 pm the two men accused Abdool of the theft of a quantity of cash. Using a belt from a pair of pants and a canvas fan-belt they allegedly beat him in the store until he died.
Appearing on behalf of the men, attorney-at-law Vic Puran told the court that his clients had made no confession-statement and had not been confronted by any witnesses. He added that since his clients had been taken into custody five days prior to yesterday’s hearing no habeas corpus proceedings had been filed and police were not pressured to bring the charges. In lieu of this, he pressed for an early date for the commencement of the Preliminary Inquiry to determine whether there is a prima facie case against the men to commit them to stand trial in the High Court for the young boy’s murder. Puran also repudiated the contents of the report in yesterday’s Kaieteur News on the matter.
The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Gordon Peters requested a one-month deferral by which time he said the police would be ready to begin the Preliminary Inquiry. The matter is now fixed for continuance on February 26.
Abdool’s severely battered body was found in a drain at the Liliendaal railway embankment clad in green long pants and a blue long-sleeved shirt. His back bore black and blue welts and several lacerations. There was also bruising to his chest and a small hole was visible on the left rib cage. Under his chin a few cuts were evident and his neck appeared to have been broken. It was not until a week later that his family discovered from the orphanage that he was missing. His family later identified the body.