Mutilated body of missing Berbice cane cutter found

The badly mutilated body of a cane harvester who was allegedly killed by relatives of his wife on January 3 was discovered floating in a trench around 11:30 am yesterday.

The man’s wife and relatives are in police custody.

The strong smell from the remains of Kosal Ramawad, 22, called `Davo’ of Number 65 Village led to the discovery of his body by a woman who had walked through the track to cut coconut branches.

Relatives told Stabroek News that they recognized the body from “rotten teeth” in his mouth. They said the nude corpse was found face down in the water with only the back showing.

The boy’s mother, Indira said when her son was lifted out of the trench by police she saw that his feet and hands were bound with pieces of black cloth. A heavy iron was also strapped to his neck with another piece of black cloth.

His body also bore scorch marks, appearing as though his assailant(s) had attempted to burn it. There was also a cut on his right hand and on his foot, relatives said.

According to reports Ramawad was engaged in an argument with his 16-year-old wife, Kamie Koonchalama and he reportedly hit her.

He then left around 5 pm to catch fish at sea when a relative of his wife confronted him and an altercation ensued.

The relative reportedly choked him until he fell to the ground in an unconscious state. The dead man’s attacker was then said to have used a stick to deal him the fatal blow to the back of his head. A police source said Ramawad bled profusely and appeared to have died on the spot.

Indira said the following day the wife’s relatives told her that her son was missing and a report was made to the police.

On January 8 police received information that the body was buried in a shallow grave. They said they searched the entire area thoroughly and came up empty-handed until yesterday.

The source said the relative reportedly admitted to having committed the act but stated that another relative buried the body on the beach.

But a close relative of the men had told police that they mentioned that they tied a piece of iron to the body and anchored it in the river. The couple who were married during last year have a two-month-old baby. (Shabna Ullah)