A man was yesterday granted $1 million bail after the defence challenged the legality of his detention and argued that police have yet to produce evidence establishing that two Surinamese men were abducted.

Jimol Murphy appeared virtually before Magistrate Shareefa Parks at the Fort Wellington Magistrate’s Court, where he was charged under the Kidnapping Act in connection with the alleged abduction of two Surinamese nationals at Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, on August 29, 2026.

Murphy was represented by attorneys-at-law Siand Dhurjon, Mark Waldron and Meshonn Persaud.

The prosecution strongly objected to bail.

However, the defence challenged both the substance of the allegation and the circumstances surrounding Murphy’s detention.

Dhurjon argued that the evidence presented to the court did not disclose an offence under the law and maintained that police had produced no evidence to disprove Murphy’s alibi that he was in Georgetown and Houston at the material time.

The defence further submitted that there was, at present, no evidence demonstrating that anything untoward had happened to the two men.

According to the defence, the available information instead showed the two adult men peaceably and consensually entering a vehicle on the day in question.

Dhurjon also suggested that the men could have subsequently travelled to Brazil or Venezuela, noting that persons transiting Guyana sometimes leave through unofficial routes.

A further issue raised in court concerned the statutory 72-hour period for detention.

The defence argued that the 72-hour holding period had already expired in relation to Murphy before the matter came before the court. The same issue was also raised in relation to the wife of Mark Cromwell, who is also connected to the investigation, with the defence contending that her detention had similarly extended beyond the permitted 72-hour period.

After hearing the submissions, Magistrate Parks granted Murphy bail in the sum of $1 million.

As part of his bail conditions, Murphy is required to lodge his passport and report to the Major Crimes Unit every Friday.

The arrest of Murphy triggered in rest on the East Coast Demerara for several days.

The case concerns the disappearance of Surinamese men Siegiëllo Lorenzo Van Dalen, 27, and Derryl Danillo Bont, 28.

Van Dalen and Bont have been missing since late August. In a September 9 notice, Surinamese police said they left their homes on August 28 in a white Toyota Vitz and travelled to Nickerie. The following day, they left the vehicle at Clara Sluis and crossed to Guyana by boat between 11 am and 1 pm, subsequently entering a taxi believed to have been a black station wagon. 

An initial September 2 report by Waterkant had quoted Bont’s family as saying they last heard from him on Saturday morning, after which his telephone was switched off. They believed two friends who had been with him were also unreachable.