Penal man to hang for gruesome double murder

THE sentence of death was passed yesterday on Mookash Chandardath, the man who strangled his elderly landlord and decapitated his landlady, four years ago in Penal. Chandardath, a mechanic, lived next door to Ursula Innis and Selwyn Grant, both in their sixties, at Allen Drive, Syne Village. Together with Zanna Andrews, 26, Chandardath tied up and strangled Grant with copper wire, then stuffed the elderly man in a wardrobe. The murderer then turned on Innis, tying her feet to a bathtub before cutting off her neck. Another man, who assisted Chandardath in moving Grant’s body from the wardrobe to a water-tank in the yard, was one of the State’s witnesses and testified against Chandardath.

Yesterday, Andrews was sentenced to 12 years hard labour for his part in the gruesome crime after he pleaded guilty two weeks ago, to unlawfully killing (manslaughter) Grant, but not guilty to killing Innis.  The death sentence was handed down by Justice Herbert Volney in the San Fernando High Court on Chandardath who a jury heard, masterminded the brutal and bizarre killings.  The decomposing bodies of the elderly couple who lived alone, were discovered with Grant underneath a water tank and Innis in the bathtub of the house, on September 16, 1999. The next day, Innis’ head was found by police investigators stuffed in a bag floating in a water tank, near the elderly couple’s home. The trial lasted five weeks, in which a jury heard evidence from 23 State witnesses. Acting Assistant DPP Joan Honore-Paul led evidence that Chandardath stole Grant’s car, furniture and household items such as a Sai Baba picture, a washing machine, kitchen utensils and wares. Some of the items he brought for his wife, Maria Charles, to their house next door, while he sold the other items. Chandardath also sought the assistance of another man to write out two false receipts for the sale of Grant’s car, a Commodore, and for a year’s rent of the premises at No. 2 Allen Drive.

The jury also heard that Chandardath brought his wife, Maria Charles to live  at No. 2 Allen Drive in early August, 1999, a few feet away from where the corpses lay rotting, and when she complained of a foul stench Chandardath bought disinfectant and sprayed the premises.  At the beginning of the trial, Chandardath pleaded not guilty, and yesterday he maintained his innocence. Asked by Justice Volney if he had anything to say, Chandardath answered sheepishly, “all I have to say, is I did not kill anybody, sir. That is all.” He was represented by attorney Chateram Sinanan, instructed by Faraaz Mohammed.  Chandardath’s mother Surajdaye, 58, who attended the trial every day, wept when the foreman of the jury announced the verdict and Justice Volney read the death sentence. Speaking to reporters afterwards, she said she did not believe her son had a fair trial. “He was a good child to me,” she cried. Andrews’ attorney Ian Gray said his client was weak and found himself in a situation where, “friends can carry you but don’t bring you back.” But Justice Volney said Andrews was lucky that the State accepted his plea to manslaughter and did not have to face a jury. “Clearly your part in the killing of Selwyn Grant was done with your premeditation. You knew what you were about, you were 22-years-old. There is a penalty for taking a human life,” Volney said.