must serve 35 years before eligible for parole
By Jeune Bailey Van Keric
Nearly six years after the brutal murders of cousins Isaiah Henry, 16, and Joel Henry, 19, shook West Coast Berbice, Anil Sancharra and Vinod Gopaul were yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment at the Berbice Assizes.
Justice Simone Morris ordered that both men serve 35 years before becoming eligible for parole. Court records show both men had previous convictions, with Gopaul’s record dating back to 2007, when he was just 14 years old.
The brutal murders of the Henry boys shocked the nation and triggered widespread protests demanding justice,
On June 9, a High Court jury in Berbice unanimously found Sancharra and Gopaul guilty on two counts of murder.
The verdicts were returned after more than two hours of deliberations by a 12-member jury following a month-long trial before Justice Morris.
The court heard yesterday that Gopaul had previous charges dating back to age 14, when he was accused of accidentally killing his father. That matter was not pursued by the state.
Gopaul also reported an incident where he and others were accused of stealing a firearm from a farmer. He stated that the firearm was returned and the matter was not pursued.
In relation to Sancharra, court records revealed he had served custodial sentences on two occasions for escaping lawful custody, possession of cannabis sativa, and possession of cocaine.
State Prosecutrix Marissa Edwards asked the Court to take into consideration the aggravating factors, along with the nature and circumstances of the offence.
There were 18 incised wounds inflicted with a great amount of force.
The brutal loss of lives also affected extended family members who later met their demise, stemming from grief due to the manner in which the boys were killed.
The deceased were unarmed and posed no threat. The chops severed their spines. This showed extreme brutality and a grave disregard for human life.
The Prosecutrix noted the prevalence of violent crimes involving dangerous weapons.
She asked the Court to consider the value of the lives lost.
Prior to sentencing, the court considered reports from Probation and Welfare Officers Mahesia Granville and Dionne Douglas, and Psychiatrist Dr. N. Rajkumar.
For the families of Isaiah Henry and Joel Henry, the sentences marked the culmination of a nearly six-year wait for justice for the two cousins.
The trial, which opened on May 7 and concluded on June 9, heard evidence from 16 prosecution witnesses, the testimony of both accused men, extensive cross-examination by defence attorneys Dr Dexter Todd and Chandra Sohan, and detailed legal directions from the trial judge.
For many Guyanese, the verdict represented the conclusion of one chapter in a case that has remained etched in the country’s memory since September 2020.
Th cousins disappeared on September 5, 2020, after heading into the Cotton Tree backlands, West Coast Berbice.
The following day, their mutilated bodies were discovered, sending shockwaves throughout Guyana and attracting international attention.
The killings sparked days of protests and unrest across West Coast Berbice as residents demanded answers and justice for the two cousins.
The State’s case, led by State Counsel Marisa Edwards, was built around the testimony of Akash Singh, the prosecution’s principal witness.
According to Singh, he travelled into the Cotton Tree backlands with Sancharra and Gopaul, where the men maintained a marijuana farm. He testified that on a later occasion they returned to the area and discovered that their crops had been damaged.
Singh said Isaiah Henry and Joel Henry approached during discussions about the destruction and that an exchange followed. He testified that Gopaul attacked one of the cousins with a cutlass while Sancharra attacked the other. Both teenagers attempted to flee but were overtaken. The witness told the court there were “plenty chops.”
According to Singh, the attack was relentless and both cousins suffered multiple injuries before collapsing. After the killings, the bodies were tied onto horses and removed from the area. He alleged that Gopaul instructed him to mark an “X” on the foreheads of the victims.
Singh said he later disposed of cutlasses and bloody clothing by throwing them into a canal. He told jurors that both accused threatened to kill him if he revealed what had happened.
Amnika Henry, sister of Joel Henry, stated that Joel was the youngest of eight children. He was born in Gibraltar Village, Corentyne, but the family subsequently moved to Lot 32C, Number 3 Village, West Coast Berbice.
In a probation report she related the devastating toll the murders took on the family. She said their mother suffered from chronic nightmares and was unable to withstand the grief, which resulted in her death. In addition, an aunt died on the first-year death anniversary, while their mother died on the second-year death anniversary, respectively. A neighbour also died, and a brother later took his own life, she said.
Sancharra denied any involvement in the murders. He told jurors that between September 1 and September 6, 2020, he was living at Tain Village and working as a labourer in the Black Bush Polder backlands. During his testimony, Sancharra told the court, “I have no idea what I am in jail for.”
Gopaul likewise denied participating in the killings and alleged that he had been assaulted while in police custody.
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