11 Years Later: Fugitive Remanded to Prison on Murder Charge for 2015 Slaying of ‘Nephi’

By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News |

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — Eleven years after commercial sex worker Noel “Nephi” Luther was shot dead on the streets of downtown Georgetown, long-sought fugitive Kanand Ojha was officially arraigned for capital murder on Monday and remanded to prison, bringing an end to his decade-long flight from justice.

Ojha, who was captured in New York by United States federal agents and deported back to Guyana on Friday, made his initial court appearance before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The indictable charge was formally read to the accused; however, in accordance with statutory criminal procedure, he was not required to enter a plea to the capital offense. Chief Magistrate Latchman ordered Ojha remanded to the Georgetown Prison custody until October 12, 2026, when the matter is scheduled to return for report and the fixture of preliminary inquiry dates.

Eleven Years on the Run: From Queens, New York to the Dock

Ojha’s court appearance concludes a multi-year cross-border manhunt coordinated between domestic intelligence units and foreign law enforcement:

• The International Manhunt: Following the July 2015 shooting, Ojha fled Guyana, successfully evading local capture. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) subsequently escalated their pursuit, issuing an international wanted bulletin in July 2019.
• Apprehension and Removal: Acting on reciprocal intelligence shared under bilateral Mutual Legal Assistance frameworks, United States Marshals, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) tracked and detained Ojha in Queens, New York.
• Custody Handover: Ojha was deported and landed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Friday, September 18, 2026, where he was immediately received by Special Branch operatives and handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for formal charging.

The 2015 Quamina Street Encounter Revisited

The police prosecution case against Ojha dates back to the late-night hours of July 27, 2015, at the intersection of Quamina and Carmichael Streets in Georgetown:

• The Transaction: Detectives allege that Ojha engaged Luther and handed over $5,000 for a commercial sexual act. Soon after the encounter, Ojha discovered that his mobile phone and a quantity of cash were missing.
• The Armed Confrontation: Police allege that rather than making an official report to law enforcement, Ojha mobilized his associate, Ron “Andel” Forde, and returned to the intersection in search of Luther.
• The Fatal Shot: A confrontation ensued, during which Forde allegedly produced a handgun and discharged a single round into Luther’s chest. The victim was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where medical personnel pronounced Luther dead on arrival.

Co-Accused Serving 20-Year Manslaughter Sentence

While Ojha remained at large overseas for over a decade, the criminal justice system moved forward against his co-accused:

• Manslaughter Plea: In June 2017, Ron “Andel” Forde was formally brought before the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature. Forde entered a guilty plea to the lesser count of manslaughter, formally admitting to shooting and killing Luther.
• 20-Year Sentence: Presiding judge Justice Navindra Singh sentenced Forde to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Now back on Guyanese soil and formally before the courts, Ojha will face trial on the primary charge of murder as prosecutors prepare their evidentiary bundle for the October 12 court fixture.