Murdered Corentyne woman didn’t believe husband would harm her

Omwattie and Gavin Gill
Omwattie and Gavin Gill

Tejwattie Jinkoo, the mother of the Corentyne woman who was brutally murdered yesterday after being run over and then stabbed and chopped by her husband, had been assured by her daughter just prior to the attack that the man would not hurt her.

Omwattie Gill, also known as “Anjalie,” 21, a sales girl, of Williamsburg Village, Corentyne, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Port Mourant Public Hospital after the attack yesterday morning.

Her husband, Gavin Gill, 31, originally of Whim Village, Corentyne, was arrested in the midst of the carnage, which occurred around 8 am at Tulsie Street, Williamsburg.

Tejwattie Jinkoo

Omwattie, who was the mother of his seven-month-old daughter, was on her way to work when she was attacked.

Before leaving home, Omwattie, in response to warnings from her mother to beware her husband, had tried to assure her that the man would not do anything to hurt her.

“She been trust he and she keep telling me Gavin na go do she nothing…Me daughter trusted him. She say Gavin na go do she nothing. Me daughter trusted him,” Omwattie’s mother, Tejwattie Jinkoo, also known as “Sharda,” emphasised to Stabroek News.

Jinkoo explained that the couple, who lived together at Port Mourant Village, Corentyne, got married approximately 14 months ago.

However, she said that about two weeks ago, her daughter, unable to bear the abuse at the hands of Gill, returned to her [Jinkoo’s] house. According to the woman, her daughter would often cover for Gill but residents of the area would tell her that Gill would physically and verbally abuse Omwattie.

“When she come way here he carry abie a probation officer for she go home back and he go down on he knees and beg her to go home,” she related.

However, Omwattie insisted that she would not be returning home with the man.

‘Restraining order’

According to Jinkoo, sometime last week, the man appeared to have wanted to harm Omwattie and as a result, a report was made to the police and the couple ended up at the Whim Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Alex Moore, who ordered Gill to remain 100 feet away from Omwattie. The couple was expected to return to court on Monday. 

Despite the restraining order, Jinkoo said Gill visited their house on Friday and was calling for them.

The very emotional woman stated that the last thing she told her daughter yesterday morning before she left home for work was to “be careful” on the road. “Me tell she if she see Gavin car run and holla,” she said.

She also noted that she had encouraged her daughter to remain home until the tension between them had subsided but the young woman insisted that she had to work to support her baby daughter. “He been make she leave the work and when she left he, she take back the work about one week now,” the mother explained.

Despite the rift between them, Jinkoo said Omwattie did not believe Gill would hurt her.

An Eyewitness Account

According to an eyewitness, the man used a rented car, HC 4924, to hit the woman, after which she fell unconscious. He then used a knife to inflict multiple stab wounds about her body, including to her stomach and back, and to slash her face and neck. The man then reportedly grabbed a cutlass from his car and started to chop the woman to her neck.

Subnauth Dickram, also known as ‘Jerry,’ of Williamsburg, said that he first heard the impact of Omwattie being hit by the car and immediately thought that it was an accident. “I saw a person roll off from the car [bonnet] and fall down in front me. When I go fa run for assist, I see the driver of the car come out armed with a knife. This girl fall with she face down and he start juk she from the back and the side and so,” he recalled.

Dickram stated that his first instinct told him to attempt to rescue the girl but as he ran closer, the accused started to threaten to murder him as well. As a result, he retreated to his yard and phoned the police.

“I ask he wah he a juk this girl that abie got to take she to the doctor,” Dickram said. “Then he go in the car and come out back with one cutlass and start… chop now from the girl neck and after several chop from this girl neck, he hold she head to raise she up fa cut out she head and same time the police arrive and take over.”

Dickram said he used the man’s car to rush Omwattie to the Port Mourant Hospital, while being escorted by lawmen. He said while turning into the hospital, he saw the young woman take her last breath.

Blamed for daughter’s death

Jinkoo noted that while at the hospital, the man told her that it was her fault that he murdered her daughter. “He a holla me make this happen! That me make this happen! How me make this happen?” the woman asked, as she broke into tears.

The woman also stated that she believed that had her daughter confided in her about the physical abuse she suffered, she would have sent her away from the area.

She noted that she often encouraged Omwattie to leave Gill, as she believed that he lacked the drive to develop himself. “Me daughter been ask me to lend him $100,000, [saying] that he want start some business and me lend he ’cause he say it go be good for my daughter. He never start none business and never give me back the money…,” she noted. “He does rent car and drive. He a work three days and drink the rest days. He na even a buy pop (milk) for this baby or grocery fa cook, me does help them because me a watch say a me daughter…After the wedding, he pawn out all me daughter jewellery, pawn out the baby chain and sell out everything…Me does pay how much money and bail he. When he get ticket, me a pay he ticket for he, me a ge them boy a money to go pay,” she added.

Jinkoo said Omwattie was very easygoing. Several villagers, who were present yesterday at the woman’s house, stated that she was a “one of a kind” person, who was very kind and helpful to the residents of the area.