Three men are in police custody over the murder of political activist Fiesal Ferose Ali, relatives said yesterday.
Ali, 48, of Lot 179 Mandela Avenue, Alexander Village was discovered dead in his bed early Wednesday morning, with stab wounds to the upper body and a wound to the back of the head
Nazidul Ali told Stabroek News that he believes his younger brother was murdered during a robbery. Further, the man said that late Wednesday evening the police had taken two men into custody and a third man was picked up yesterday afternoon. “There’s a lot of speculation as to what happened,” he said. “Three men are currently in police custody and I think it [the murder] happened during a robbery because the computer is gone and money might also be missing.”
According to him, the house where his brother lived belonged to their family. Fiesal Ali had lived there for the past eight years with another older brother, Imran Ali, who has a mental disability. Fiesal, he said, was a kind-hearted man who took special interest in those less fortunate.
Nazidul indicated that after the funeral the family would discuss the welfare of Imran.
“The boxer, Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis, is one such person whose life he took an interest in. He was the one that helped Six Head along,” he said. “He would see a homeless person and bring them home. If he had money he would give to those who needed it and once he had food he gave to those who wanted,” the man added
Two of the men who are presently in police custody, Nazidul said, were his brother’s “friends.” He explained that he lived in Canada but would come to Guyana annually to visit his brother. “I would stay up to three weeks the most but I do not know these men personally. I do know that they are men who would’ve attracted by brother’s kindness,” he said.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted on the body today. However, his relatives are still not sure when the funeral will be. It was Ali’s wish to be cremated.
“Saturday was the last time I saw him,” Neeza Khan, Ali’s cousin, who lives in Georgetown, said. “We were very close and he spent a lot of time at my house.”
Khan explained that he had spent most of last week at her house. According to her, he would be with her during the day and return home in the afternoon. Last Saturday, Khan explained, he left her home and said he would return the following day but never did. “I tried calling him but got no answer on Sunday,” she added.
Meena De Souza, the man’s maid, explained that she worked at the house every other day. She reported to work on Monday morning and that was the last time she saw him alive. “I went into work that day [Monday] like normal. He left home after 1pm to go out and when I was ready to leave work at 2pm he wasn’t back as yet,” De Souza reported.
Relatives of the dead man were unable to say whether anyone had seen the man on Tuesday. According to them, he had good relationships will all his neighbours and was well liked.
Nazidul Ali said that he left Guyana years ago to further his education and to look for a better standard of living. The crime spree over the years, he noted, has often made him reluctant to return to his homeland. “I’ve wanted to stay away from here many times,” he stated. “Now that I am a victim of this crime spree I am horrified and still shocked…I am devastated about my brother’s death.”
Neighbours had told Stabroek News on Wednesday that they heard nothing. They believed that the killing occurred during a heavy downpour early yesterday morning. A bloodied hammer and a knife were removed from the scene.
De Souza had said she arrived as customary just before 9 am on Wednesday to do her chores but found the back door pushed in and the padlock on but unlocked. Believing nothing was wrong she entered the house and met Ali’s mentally challenged brother, who indicated his brother was in his bedroom. Fifteen minutes later, a friend turned up for Ali and while De Souza was against waking him the man persisted and entered the bedroom where he discovered the body.
Ali was well-known in political circles. His National Republican Party – a splinter of the United Republican Party – joined with several other parties to form the National Front Alliance (NFA), which banded together with the PNCR to contest the 2006 general elections as the PNCR-1G. Ali was a candidate for the party.
