Body found with marks of violence in trench at Williamsburg

The body of a 49-year-old man was discovered yesterday afternoon in a trench in the backlands of Williamsburg, Corentyne.

The dead man has since been identified as Mohan Ball, of Williamsburg Village, Corentyne, Berbice.

According to villagers, Ball was last seen yesterday morning leaving a friend’s house in the village, where he usually hangs out.

His sister, Raywattie Fraser, 41, of Lot 74 Hampshire South, Corentyne told Stabroek News, that she received a message from a young boy in the village, that her brother’s body was in the trench. “The lil bai come and say am Rocky and Andy kill Uncle Ball and throw him in the trench,” she said, adding that she was left standing in shock, until her husband hurried her to the scene where her brother was.

Mohan Ball
Raywattie Fraser

“When abie go, the street was full with people. Me husband go across at the trench and me husband check he and say he dead…,” she explained, adding that her brother had several black and blue marks across his back and other parts of his body.

According to her, Ball was unable to swim and she did not believe her brother would go close to the trench. “The marks [on his body] deh how them drag he in the trench,” she said. “Next to him had a long picket. He had fresh blood, like from the beating.”

The distraught woman said that villagers later informed her that her brother was drinking with two men, who allegedly started to beat him and “drag him on the road.”

Fraser said, “… Them like beat people with cutlass and so. That bai always a beat people.”

She said that while rushing to the scene she saw one of the accused with wet clothes, riding away.

According to Fraser, her brother who was a domestic worker, resided in Williamsburg, but did not have a permanent address. He lived, “here and there. He stay with people in the village, who he a work with,” she added.

Fraser said that after not visiting her home for one year, her brother had turned up last Tuesday and told her that if he were to die, “Let me must do everything and bury him out”.

The grieving woman explained that she did not even have a photograph to remember her brother by. “All he get a he clothes, he never deh like to take pictures.”

However, a neighbour did have a photo that she had snapped of Ball some years ago.

Although Ball was a known alcoholic in the village, his sister said, “He was a funny person, he always like make joke, he na like fight and suh, he never deh in problem”.

Ball was the father of four daughters.

Meanwhile, according to a police source, an investigation has been launched into Ball’s death, however, no one was in custody as of late yesterday.