-two detained
Two persons have been detained as police probe the suspicious death of a 59-year-old taxi driver, who was discovered lying dead in his brother’s Ruimzigt, West Coast Demerara yard on Sunday.
Umadat called ‘Jai’ of Better Hope Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara was found dead on Sunday morning in the yard of his elder brother’s home where he had gone the previous Thursday. His sister and a man, who had looked after the elder brother, who is sick, were taken into custody by police on Wednesday to assist with investigations.
A police source told Stabroek News that the duo was taken into custody after a doctor’s examination of the dead man’s body revealed that he had suffered a fractured skull. There were reportedly other marks of violence on the body. Umadat had been living with his sister at Better Hope and relatives told this newspaper that he had moved out on Thursday. This was confirmed by neighbours of the Ruimzigt home, who said that the now-dead man was seen on that day walking to the home with a bag.
According to a relative of the detained woman, on Thursday, Umadat had left the home after being released from the Sparendaam Police station. The relative could not say what he had been held for. She said that on Saturday, the sister received calls stating that Umadat was drinking and “misbehaving bad”. The relative said that the sister visited the home that evening and attempted to talk to him but he continued with his behaviour and she left in the evening. The relative was adamant that the man was still alive when his sister left and questioned why she would want to kill him. The relative said that Umadat drank a lot and “he does tek in steady and go to the hospital”. She said that he also suffered from “cramps” in the body and whenever he encountered a problem, he would leave.
When this newspaper visited the home where he died, his elder brother, Danpat called ‘Lochan’, was unable to give much information but pointed out that his younger brother had only been there for three days and emphasized that he had lived with his sister who is now in custody, at Better Hope. Relatives, who said that they had just arrived from Trinidad, were also at the home when this newspaper visited but stated that they had no information on how the incident occurred.
Police investigations are continuing.
