The Guyana government on Monday confirmed that the main suspect wanted in connection with the 2015 murder of Noel “Nephi” Luther has been arrested in the United States.
In a statement, the government said Kanand Ojha was detained by members of the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, which includes US Marshals, Homeland Security, and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
“The arrest of Ojha is as a result of continuous collaboration and cooperation between the Government of Guyana through the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Attorney General’s Chambers and authorities in the United States of America under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters platform,” the statement said.
The government noted that cooperation between Guyana and US law enforcement has strengthened over the years, leading to joint criminal investigations and the arrest and extradition of fugitives in both jurisdictions. “This relationship will intensify in the future,” it added.
Authorities in Guyana had issued a wanted bulletin for Ojha in July 2019, four years after Luther, a sex worker, was fatally shot on a street in Georgetown.
“It is alleged that Luther was shot once to his chest during a confrontation with Ojha and his friend Ron ‘Andel’ Forde,” the statement said.
Forde was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2017 after pleading guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for Luther’s killing.
