A Beterverwagting man stabbed and killed his uncle during a heated argument at the family home yesterday after years of minor disagreements between the two.
The lifeless body of Andrew Benjamin, age 41 years of Buxton, was pulled from the yard at Canterbury Walk, Betervwagting and transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Benjamin also known as, ‘Mongoose’ suffered a stab wound in the region of his chest and reportedly lost a substantial amount of blood following the attack. Reports are that he was brutally attacked by his nephew following a disagreement over why he [Benjamin] was at the family home.
The nephew, who went into hiding after the incident, surrendered to police later in the day after a massive search was initiated to track him down aback the canefields at Betervwagting. A police press release said he is assisting with the investigations.
Eyewitnesses to the attack, who numbered around five, recalled that Benjamin had finished cutting cane at the LBI estate where he was employed and as customary, went to his family’s home to relax before moving onto Buxton. This was sometime after 2 pm. Within a few minutes of him being there, his attacker turned up and immediately objected to his presence.
“He start on Andrew fuh nothing, is something he does always do, start story fuh nothing. Is hot head he hot head”, a relative related yesterday.
Benjamin apparently ignored the ranting and continued with a meal he was having at the time. Neighbours said they heard the loud noise and instantly knew that the young man was quarreling with Benjamin, but brushed it aside since it happened often.
But the argument continued and escalated to the point when the attacker reportedly threatened Benjamin. Eyewitnesses said that Benjamin ignored the threats, but decided to leave the home earlier than planned.
“I see when Andrew walk out de house and was in the yard but de boy follow he outside and was talking then I see Andrew pulling back”, an eyewitness said.
The attacker went up to Benjamin and threw a punch and continued to swing at him, according to the eyewitness. Benjamin fought him off thinking nothing much of the incident as neighbours urged them to stop. The attacker advanced but closer this time, an eyewitness recounted, with a knife and Benjamin raised a cutlass that he used on the job as a shield.
Eyewitnesses said that the man managed to stab Benjamin in the heart even as he [Benjamin] continued to fight him off with the cutlass. Benjamin then collapsed and his attacker fled.
A neighbour said that the incident was painful to watch. She said that Benjamin was stabbed so suddenly that everyone looking on froze for a few minutes before reacting. According to her, many persons ran over to Benjamin who was bleeding profusely.
She said that they were unable to locate a vehicle to transport him to the hospital, but a short while after a relative turned up and transported him to the city.
Benjamin’s family was thrown into deep mourning yesterday even as they lamented the breakdown in family values. One relative said that the elders had worked hard to instill the right values in their children and worked even harder to see that they maintain them, but that “children still go astray”.
The family spoke openly about the aggressive behaviour usually exhibited by Benjamin’s attacker saying that the young man had serious issues.
