GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – The Guyana government on Monday said that the main suspect wanted in connection with the murder of Noel “Nephi” Luther in July 2015, had been arrested by law enforcement authorities 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 consisting of US Marshals, members of 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.

It said over the years, Guyana and the US law enforcement agencies have strengthened their relationship and “this has led to mutual cooperation in criminal investigations by virtue of which criminal investigations have been pursued in both jurisdictions leading to the arrest of fugitives in both countries and their extradition to stand trial in the country where they have committed offences”.

The government said that “this relationship will intensify in the future”.

The authorities here had issued a wanted bulletin for Ojha in July, 2019 after Luther, a sex worker, was shot and killed on a street in the capital Georgetown.

“It is alleged that Luther was shot once to his chest during a confrontation with Ojha and his friend Ron ‘Andel’ Forde.

“Forde was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June, 2017 after pleading guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter for the killing of Luther,” the statement said.