Annandale store owner stabbed to death in ‘fortress’

The family of 38-year-old Kamal ‘Ricky’ Ramsahoye is in mourning after his older brother discovered his lifeless body lying in a pool of blood at about 07:30hrs yesterday in the East Coast Demerara village.

Neighbours said that the man was married and lived with his wife, but that she was not home at the time of the incident.

Family members also expressed their bewilderment that he could have been murdered inside his home by intruders since his house was a virtual fortress.

Kamal Ramsahoye

The entire residence is enclosed by a concrete fence which stands over eight feet tall. The only portals of entry to the yard were two metal fences whose height matched that of the wall and are outfitted with pointed fixtures on top. In addition to these external defences, each and every window and door of the house was securely grilled.

These facts lend to suspicion that Ramsahoye may have known, and even invited his attacker into his premises.

According to the man’s older brother, Ramsahoye, who operated a convenience store from his premises, would usually go over to his family’s 138 Droom Street, North Annandale residence to have breakfast daily before he began his daily rounds.

When Ramsahoye failed to show up for his breakfast yesterday morning, his brother decided to call him to ensure all was well.

His brother added that calls to Ramsahoye’s residence continued to go unanswered which prompted him to make the short trip to deliver breakfast for his younger brother.

A neighbour recalled that Ramsahoye’s brother called for him repeatedly, but after he received no answer he pushed the gate open and entered the yard. The brother stated that at that time, he was accompanied by a boy who usually helped his brother in his shop. He stated that upon entering the yard he noticed that the door leading into the lower flat of the two-storey residence was open, and upon entering the house, he happened upon the dead body of his brother.

A neighbour said after the two individuals entered the premises, the boy panicked and ran from the house screaming. “De lil boy run till to de man mudduh house over the suh whey dey got a shop. Lil later she come round here screaming to.”

Ramsahoye said that after discovering his brother’s body, he went to the Vigilance Police Station and reported it to the officers on duty, who according to neighbours arrived on the scene quite promptly. (Chevy Devonish)