A man is dead and another is in police custody following an altercation over a spot at Bourda Market yesterday.
The dead man, Joseph (only name given) called ‘Jer’ of no fixed place of abode arrived at the Georgetown Public Hospital at 2.55pm with a head wound and was sent to the x-ray department for an examination. Following this, he was sent back to the emergency room and was waiting to be transferred to the male ward when he died, hospital sources told Stabroek News. He and his assailant both dwelled on the street.
Late yesterday, the suspect called ‘Foodface,’ who vendors said suffered from a medical condition, was taken into custody by police.
According to reports, the incident, which occurred some time before 3pm, began when Joseph hit Foodface with a piece of wood. Several persons at Bourda Market told Stabroek News that Joseph saw Foodface ‘liming’ at a spot at the Robb Street section of the market, which he considered his own as he would run errands and do odd jobs for the vendors there, and ordered him to move. “Jer tell Foodface ‘move from hay, move from hay’ and like Foodface din wan move and Jer gi he a lash,” one man related.
The man said that Foodface was also armed with a piece of wood and in turn hit Joseph in his head. This newspaper was told that Joseph fell to the ground unconscious and Foodface went to hit him again but was prevented from doing so by persons on the scene. According to one eyewitness, they tried to revive Joseph by throwing water on him.
The man recovered and went to a corner and appeared to be sleeping, the eyewitness said. She said that the next thing she heard was that he had died. Someone had called an ambulance to pick him up and take him to the hospital. The eyewitness recalled that Foodface had also muttered something about money following the fight.
After his death at the hospital was reported, law enforcement agents went to the Bourda Market and picked up Foodface. He was taken to the Alberttown Police station where he remained up to press time.
Vendors at the Bourda Market were not complimentary of Foodface and accused him of being a thief. They said that he was arrested numerous times but was always released due to his medical condition. “The boy does thief bad but they does always loose he… you does beat he and he don’t learn,” said one upset vendor.
The vendors said that Joseph was different and used to do a number of jobs for them. “He de alright, he used to come here and watch me. When I get plenty people here, he does come,” the woman said adding that he also did odd jobs for her. She related that Foodface, on the other hand, stole from her on a number of occasions. One man said that Foodface had stabbed another man before but was released.
They said that Joseph’s relatives all reside overseas. Many persons at the market expressed shock at his death and wondered whether Foodface would face justice this time or would be released.
This newspaper was informed that Joseph and Foodface had called the streets around Bourda Market their home for a number of years now. Police are continuing their investigations.
