Twelve persons were killed in October, representing a decline by one when compared to statistics for the same period last year.
There were five murders in the poorly manned police ‘E & F’ Division, three in ‘A’ (Georgetown), two in ‘B’ (Berbice), and one in `C’ (East Coast) for September, according to Stabroek News’ records.
Six charges have been made out for nine of the 12 cases, while police are still investigating the remaining three. Four of the cases involved children under the age of fifteen, while the others were adults. A blade was the weapon most commonly used in the murders.
The first murder of the month was that of Foulis businessman Purushottam Nauth, 49, who was shot and robbed by bandits while on his way to make a deposit at a city bank on October 3. Nauth and his cousin, Somal Persaud, who were travelling in minibus BMM 6460, and were sandwiched by two cars used by robbers, who relieved the men of $8M at gunpoint before shooting the businessman in the neck. Nauth succumbed after surgery on October 6. The perpetrators fled the scene, and though eight men were apprehended and placed on an ID parade, none were identified as the robbers.
About two days after Nauth was shot and robbed, Brazilian Elaine Suza Santos was allegedly beaten to death by her lover, also Brazilian, at Piari Landing, Puruni. Raimundo Santos Freitas Barbosa, who worked in the same camp as the woman, allegedly armed himself with a piece of wood and beat her to death with it. He has since been charged.
On October 7, the community of Corentyne, Berbice was rocked by the news of murder of 14-year-old Indranie ‘Cynthia’ Basdeo, allegedly at the hands of her ex boyfriend. Basdeo was at her former school’s sports, when the man is reported to have grabbed her and stabbed her to the chin and chest. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
Four days after, there was more shock when three children were reportedly knifed to death by their father at Soesdyke. Belika George, 10, Joy Blanchard, 6, and Daniel Blanchard, 3, were asleep in their bed on the night of October 11, when their father, John Blanchard, viciously began hacking them to death. Belika and Daniel died almost immediately, while Joy struggled to survive until October 15, when she succumbed in hospital. John Blanchard has since been charged.
Meanwhile, another domestic violence fatality occurred in the county of Berbice on October 14, when Hansranie Sewdat, 45, was killed. Sewdat was discovered by her nine-year-old daughter lying on the floor of her No. 48 Village, Corentyne home with her throat slit. Her common-law partner has since been charged with the murder.
On October 16, October 17 and October 26, respectively, miners Earl Austin, 50, Johanna Baird, 22, and Mark Cornelius, 24, met their demise at the hands of their drinking buddies at different drinking spots in the North West. Austin was reportedly bludgeoned during a brawl at a Mahdia drinking spot, while Baird was stabbed in the neck during yet another brawl at his hometown Baramita, and Cornelius lost his life over a game of pools at Enachu Backdam.
The other victim in ‘E & F’ Division was Vernon Alexander, 59, who was found dead on October 23 at 47 Miles Mabura. A post-mortem examination revealed that he suffered a fatal blow to the head. His assailant remains at-large.
Meanwhile, on October 26, Berbician Vishwanauth Subramani was at a rum shop in Strand, New Amsterdam, when an argument between him and another over politics escalated, leading to him being chopped. After telling the tale to his aunt, the 31-year-old succumbed while receiving treatment at the Georgetown Public Hospital. His assailant is still on the run.
