| – nine murdered in three monthsBy Michael JordanNine women have been murdered within the past three months, making this year a deadly one for females.Of this number, three were slain in Berbice, four in Georgetown, and one each on the West Coast and West Bank of Demerara.Luciana BhagwandinOne was clearly a victim of robbery, and a second may have been the victim of a burglary gone awry.The other six were all stabbed, hacked, strangled or bludgeoned by obsessive male acquaintances.Waitress Kulmattie Singh was the victim of a group of trigger-happy gunmen.The 29-year-old was on duty at Safraz Bar Restaurant in Kitty on January 8 when bandits invaded the premises and shot her at close range in the head.Her killers remain unidentified.An obsessive man, perhaps aided by an associate, is believed to have abducted and murdered 22-year-old trainee teacher Luciana Bhagwandin.She was reportedly forced into a car in the vicinity of Ogle, East Coast Demerara.Her mutilated body, with 16 stab wounds, was found on Back Street, Harlem, West Coast Demerara on January 10.The pattern of “crimes of passion” continued on January 13, when the body of 25-year-old Sunita Sotomyer, of La Grange, West Bank Demerara, was found in a canal at Nismes, West Bank Demerara.Her reputed husband, 28-year-old Ramesh Moniram, called ‘Bobby’, has been charged with her murder.At around 01:30 hrs on February 28, residents of Ketley Street, Charlestown, were awakened by loud screams of “Help!” and “Murder!” coming from a house in the community.Seconds later, Okemo Todd, 21, plunged through one of the windows.Nalini BhogeBlood was gushing from her body.Reportedly pursued by Charles Rawlins, the father of her two children, the severely injured Todd then scaled a zinc fence and then climbed over the Ketley Primary School gate before collapsing in the presence of a security guard.Todd is said to have suffered years of abuse at the hands of the alleged killer, who is still to be apprehended.Police had no such trouble in finding the man who killed 47-year-old Usawatie Persaud.Her nude and decomposing body, with ten stab wounds, was found on March 5 in the Lot 136 Eping Avenue, Bel Air apartment of 59-year-old Cuban Physiotherapist Guillermo Valintin Martinez Stable. Martinez’s remains were found in his bedroom.According to police sources, the Cuban’s fingerprints were found on a bloodstained knife in the apartment. This has led detectives to conclude that he killed Persaud, whom he had secretly married, before taking his own life.Jealousy also appears to be the motive in the murder of 43-year old Esther Albert, called ‘Kamla’ of Crabwood Creek.Okemo ToddAlbert’s body was found in her home on March.A postmortem revealed that she had been strangled. Her husband, Daveanand Albert, is a prime suspect but has since disappeared.Police are still trying to ascertain whether they are dealing with a “crime of passion” or a robbery gone awry regarding the murder of 43-year old Nalini Bhoge of Line Path, Corentyne.Bhoge, a mother of three, was found dead on January 25, in Lot 19 Line Path home.Her was neck almost severed.Police have received reports that the house was ransacked and that articles were missing.No prime suspect has been identified.On March 15, residents of ‘E’ Field Sophia observed that the home of 57-year-old Jacqueline George was ablaze.When the blaze was finally extinguished, police found the woman’s remains in the ruins.A postmortem revealed that she had been chopped on the neck.The victim’s reputed husband, Godfrey Stewart, subsequently turned himself over to the police. He is expected to be charged as soon as he is discharged from hospital.The pattern continued just last Saturday at Glasgow New Housing Scheme, Berbice,Off White Nike Vapormax 2018, when 31-year- old, Lilowtee Seeram, called ‘Pinky’, was hacked to death in her home, reportedly during a domestic dispute.Her mother, 52-year-old Lata Inderdeo, was also wounded, but survived the ordeal.Kulmattie SinghThe slain woman’s reputed husband, Rooplall Boodhoo, is the prime suspect, but remains at large. |
