Widower of murdered Orangestein woman unhappy with outcome of case 

Relatives of Margaret Singh, 55, an Orangestein, East Bank Essequibo housewife who was murdered on December 20, 2012 are “disappointed” that her alleged killer has been freed.

Last week, Avinash Singh of Greenwich Park walked out of the Leonora Magistrate’s Court a free man upon the completion of the preliminary inquiry. He was charged with murder and for escaping from lawful custody.

The woman who was attacked and beaten with an iron bar to the head succumbed to her injuries on January 4, 2013. Her nine-month-old grandchild, for whom she was caring at the time of the attack, was also beaten.

Margaret Singh
Margaret Singh

She was first taken to the Leonora Cottage Hospital and then transferred to the Georgetown Hospital where she was admitted a patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She died without regaining consciousness. The child was discharged from hospital one week later.

On Thursday, her husband, Oudaimal Singh told Stabroek News that he was shocked to hear that the man was freed. He felt that the police had not done a good job.

According to him, the police had only taken fingerprints from the home two weeks later; the day his wife died.

Avinash was arrested and charged but had escaped from prison shortly after. His relatives subsequently took him back to the station.

Oudaimal Singh
Oudaimal Singh

After he was placed behind bars, Singh felt that justice would be served but now he has lost all hope.

He is baffled as to what went wrong that caused the man to gain his freedom and said he was “expecting him to face the high court.”

Oudaimal recalled sadly that he had left his wife at home with the baby around 2 pm to go to Parika. He made a stop on his way back, around 4 pm, when a man informed him that his wife had been badly chopped.

He rushed home but she had already been taken to the hospital. He learnt that she had actually been beaten to the head.

There was blood on the floor by the hammock where she had been relaxing with the baby.

He discovered that $38,000 was missing along with two cellular phones belonging to him and his wife.

A few days later his phone appeared on a cabinet, which is close to a window. He found it strange because he had searched that spot many times.