Corentyne taxi driver charged with murdering wife

-asks to see her face “one last time” during arraignment

Omwattie and Gavin Gill
Omwattie and Gavin Gill

Gavin Gill, the Corentyne taxi driver who used a car to hit his wife down and then proceeded to stab and chop her to death on Saturday morning, yesterday requested to see the woman’s face “one last time” when he appeared at the Albion Magistrate’s Court to face a murder charge.

Gill, 31, a taxi driver, of 10th Street, Whim Village, Corentyne, appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh yesterday and was formally charged with murdering Omwattie Gill on March 30th at Tulsie Street, Williamsburg Village, Corentyne.

During the hearing, Gill pleaded with the magistrate to see his wife’s face one last time.

Magistrate Singh then told the man that his wife was dead and questioned whether he knew this. However, he nonetheless continued to beg to see her face one last time.

Gill, a father of three daughters, who are ages 12 years, 11 years, and seven months, instantly broke into tears when asked how many children he had.

He told the court that he did not have any lawyer because his mother was not in Guyana. However, he then claimed that the police gave him something to drink and told him to sign a document. He further claimed that he didn’t know what he was doing nor did he know what he was signing while in police custody.

Additionally, the man made several confusing statements, including that the police had arrested his mother and “hang she up.” He said, “I saw it with my own eyes, I can swear on the Bible.”

Additionally, Gill told the court that he was before the court several years ago for dangerous driving. While reports have claimed that Gill was charged in the past in relation to a robbery on the Corentyne, he claimed in court yesterday that he had picked up passengers with firearms and that those cases against him were dismissed.

Meanwhile, the police prosecutor told the court that they were prepared to move forward immediately. Gill will return to court on April 23rd.

Gill inflicted stab and chop wounds on Omwattie, the mother of his seven-month-old daughter, around 8 am last Saturday after intercepting her as she made her way to work.

According to an eyewitness, the man used a car, HC 4924, to hit the woman after which she became unconscious. Gill then used a knife to deal the woman multiple stab wounds to the abdomen and back. He then used the knife to slash the woman’s forehead and throat, after which he grabbed a cutlass from his car and started to chop the woman on her neck.

A post-mortem examination, which was conducted on Monday, revealed that Omwattie died from shock and haemorrhage due to stab wounds to her lungs.

A candlelight vigil was held last night for her. She is expected to be laid to rest today on the Corentyne.