Thursday, November 2, 2006

by Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: Police in Suriname have detained three suspects in connection with the recent murders of five homeless men.

Speaking to journalists just before attending the weekly cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, Minister of Justice and Police, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, confirmed the arrests. However he pointed out that involvement of these suspects is yet to be determined.

“I am not saying that these suspects are responsible for all the killings, but these are individuals who have committed mean actions against vagrants,” said the minister. Santokhi further stated that the Special Unit which was established to investigate the attacks should be given the space and time to do their work properly.

Last week police issued an appeal to the public for its assistance in solving the murders, since there was no progress in the probe.

On October 12 a homeless man’s head was crushed with a building stone at an outdoor basketball court in Zorg en Hoop, some 4 kilometers south of the capital Paramaribo. The body also showed stab wounds. He became the fifth fatal victim since the killings started in February this year when, in downtown Paramaribo, two vagrants were gunned down in separate incidents.

On October 5, a 17-year old man was hacked to death by an axe-wielding assailant, who calmly walked away after he dealt the sleeping victim a fatal blow to the neck, severing his head from the body. In May, another vagabond died after being doused with gasoline and set on fire. A second burning victim survived the attack.

Meanwhile authorities resumed a program to collect vagrants from the streets, give them a bath, haircut, medical check up and clean clothes and subsequently release them again. Most of the homeless are drug addicts and mentally challenged individuals.

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version