Second person held over murder of Mahaicony businesswoman

A second suspect was yesterday detained by the police for questioning in relation to the murder of Mahaicony businesswoman Bibi Shairoon Nesha Ali, who was found bound and gagged in her home on Monday morning following a suspected robbery.

Commander of ‘C’ Division Marlon Chapman told Stabroek News that the suspect was arrested yesterday morning. He was reportedly last seen in company of the teenager who was arrested in Mahaicony on Monday morning.

Shortly after the discovery, the police arrested the teenager after information revealed that he and Ali had an argument a few days prior to the incident. He remained in custody, up to yesterday afternoon.

Dead: Bibi Shairoon Nesha Ali
Dead: Bibi Shairoon Nesha Ali

The body of Ali, 56, a mother of three who resided alone at Lot 4 Novar, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara, was found on the floor of her bedroom around 6.30am Monday by a young man who relatives sent to the house to make checks after receiving several calls from neighbours that Ali had not been seen since Saturday morning.

Relatives believed that Ali was killed between late Saturday evening and Sunday morning since her body was already in an advanced state of decomposition.

Her sister, Shana Ali, explained to this newspaper that a neighbour called her early Monday morning expressing concern that Ali had not been seen since Saturday morning and that several calls to her went unanswered. Family members thereafter decided to send the young man, who is known to them, to check on Ali and the discovery was made.

“Neighbours say that the gate did padlock from inside, so we tell the boy when he go and it lock to jump over the fence and go check on she,” Shana Ali said. Upon entering the premises, the young man realised that the back door was open and the house was ransacked. He then discovered Ali lying on the floor of her bedroom with her feet and hands tied with electric wire. There were several marks of violence to her face and chop wounds to her back, the sister said.

Shana Ali related that while she last spoke to her sister on Thursday afternoon, other relatives, who reside overseas, had spoken with her up to Saturday after 7 pm.

Relatives also revealed that a quantity of items, including cell phones and phone cards which Ali sold, were missing and no cash was found in the house.

A post-mortem examination will be conducted today.