(Trinidad Express) A Couva mother and her male friend were murdered early yesterday in Chaguanas by her ex-lover with whom she had suffered years of physical abuse and who had threatened to kill her.
Savitri Sultan, 39, a mother of three, and her friend, Jankie Bachu, 48, were stabbed with a knife by the suspect who had been stalking her since she ended their relationship several months ago.
Sultan’s cousin-in-law, Babita Praimsook, escaped the knife attack with slashes to her ear and fingers, as she tried to fight off the killer. The suspect, of Southern Main Road, McBean Village, Couva, remained on the loose yesterday.
The double murder occurred at Celestine Drive, Thompson Road, Palmiste, where Sultan, her 11-year-old son, Omar, Bachu and relative Babita Praimsook went to drop off Ramsook’s sister, Chandroutie Roop at her home.
Praimsook said: “We came back from the hospital. We sat down in the living room and my sister went to make tea. We were sitting down for about ten minutes talking when we saw the guy run through the front door. He had a long silver knife. He stabbed the guy (Bachu) first, straight in his heart. My sister ran out. He went to stab her (Sultan) and I shoved him, and he slash me on my ears and fingers. I ran into the back room because the children (Omar and a 13-year-old male relative) were in a back room. I stayed in the room and I was hearing Savitri bawling and screaming. Then she stopped.”
Praimsook said after several minutes she emerged from the room and called out to her sister.
Police said the suspect escaped in his truck.
A party of police officers of the Central Division Task Force led by Senior Supt Johnny Abraham, ASP Paul, and Sgt Jitendra Tooleram, and officers of the Homicide Division visited the scene.
District Medical Officer Dr Reddy examined the bodies and ordered them removed to the mortuary.
Relatives of Sultan said despite a protection order and numerous reports lodged at the Couva Police Station the suspect was never arrested.
A niece of Sultan’s, who did not wish to be identified, said: “She was with him for about four years and he used to keep beating her up. He used to mash up everything in the house. He always hit her in her face because she was a beautiful woman and he would get jealous. For weeks sometimes she would have to wear shades because of the licks.”
The niece said Sultan ended the relationship, but he then began to stalk her.
“He used to go to her son’s school and offer him KFC to tell him where she was and who she was with. He used to follow her around. Recently she went to use an ATM and the guy (Bachu) took her in his van. He (the suspect) had a piece of wood in his hand and he began running after her, threatening them. She jumped in the van and drove to the police station. But instead of arresting him (the suspect), a policeman was rude to them, and telling them that they could not park in front of the station. She tried to tell the police that the (suspect) was over there and he wanted to kill her. But the policeman wouldn’t listen and didn’t even bother to go out and look for him,” said the relative.
Sultan, the Sunday Express was told, took out a protection order at the Couva Magistates’ Court against the suspect, but he pursued her.
“He beat her up twice even after the protection order. One day she was at my house and he ran through the door. She hid behind me. He told her he could have killed her if he wanted to. And still the police never held him”, said the niece.
Relatives said Sultan’s husband and the father of her children had died some five years ago after suffering heart and kidney failure.
The couple had three children – Omar, and twin girls Soriya and Sofia, who would turn 16 next month. They said she and Bachu were not involved, but “he was kind to her because he knew she had problems”.
At Bachu’s home in Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas, his relatives declined to speak to the media.
Chaguanas Police are continuing investigations.