After 14 years, man goes to trial for gold dealer’s murder

Murder accused: Neville Chandrawattie

Neville Chandrawattie, who was charged with the 2007 murder of gold and diamond dealer Dharam Chanmangra during a robbery, will go on trial for the capital offence next Wednesday, November 24 before High Court Judge Jo Ann Barlow and a 12-member jury.

The murder accused is being represented by Attorney-at-law Siand Dhurjon, while the case for the Prosecution is being led by State Counsel Cecilia Corbin. This morning, Chandrawattie called ‘Sunil’ was arraigned on a murder charge to which he pleaded not guilty.

It was reported that Chandrawattie of Sparta, Essequibo Coast, and others robbed the El Dorado Trading Company in Port Kaituma on April 21, 2007, during which Chanmangra was shot and killed. The robbers escaped with cash and a quantity of raw gold valued at some $93 million.

Chandrawattie was only arrested and charged with the man’s murder in 2013.  At the conclusion of the preliminary Inquiry (PI) in May 2017, Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman ruled that a prima facie case was made out against Chandrawattie to put him on trial for the offence at the High Court.

Accordingly, the murder accused was committed to stand trial at the Demerara Criminal Assizes.