Black Water Backdam double murder: Prosecution closes case

-Magistrate to rule on sufficiency of evidence against five accused

The prosecution has closed its case against the five men charged with the murders of Steven Niles and Suresh Bachan, who were found dead at a mining camp at Black Water Backdam, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) in August 2021.

Those charged are: Nicholas Caesar, a 23-year-old miner of Yarrowkabra Village, Linden-Soesdyke Highway; and Venezuelan nationals: Juan Oscar Calderon Lopez called ‘Gordo’, 26; Jose Ramon Tovar called ‘Bashein’, 25; Luis Miguel Monrroy, 36; and Jhonny Gonsalvez called ‘Sankey Pankey’, a 48-year-old.

Murder accused: Nicholas Caesar

They are accused of murdering Niles and Bachan between August 4 and 5, 2021 during the course or furtherance of a robbery. The men, who were initially arraigned on August 25, 2021, have not been required to plead to the indictable charge.

Murder accused: Juan Oscar Calderon Lopez

They have been on remand since then. During the course of the Preliminary Inquiry (PI), the prosecution called several witnesses to testify, including Police ranks, civilians and doctors.

Murder accused: Jose Ramon Tovar

Several exhibits were also tendered, marked and admitted, including caution statements for Caesar, Tovar, and Lopez after voir dires were conducted. On July 31, a no-case submission was made on Gonsalves’s behalf by his Attorney-at-Law.

Murder accused: Jhonny Gonsalvez

Then on August 4, the Prosecution responded to this submission, and in the end, the court ruled in favour of the Prosecution on the oral statements made by Gonsalves.

The case will be called again on August 23, for the court to rule on whether a prima facie case has been established against the five accused for the capital offence of murder by the Prosecution.

Murder accused: Luis Miguel Monrroy

This matter is being prosecuted by Superintendent of Police Shellon Daniels on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) had reported that the owner of the gold mining operation, Kevin Faerber, had received information from workers at the camp about the gruesome discovery of the men’s dead bodies.

The report stated that the workers, upon arrival at the work site, found the bodies of 52-year-old Bachan, of Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown and 31-year-old Niles.

Bachan was found lying on his back on a makeshift bed, while Niles was also found lying on his back in a hammock.

In addition, Niles’ AR-15 firearm was stolen along with the top mat from the sluice box.

Autopsies found that both men were bludgeoned to death. Bachan was the General Manager of the mining camp while Niles worked there as a security officer. It was reported that they might have been beaten with a crowbar and also stabbed.