The body of a 37-year-old fisherman was on Tuesday discovered lying on his kitchen floor with a single stab wound to his chest. The police have since detained his wife.
The body of Seelall Jitlall was discovered by his ten-year-old son lying on the floor in his Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo home with a suspected knife wound to his upper chest and a bloodied knife next to him. Police have since detained his reputed wife to assist with investigations.
Relatives yesterday gave conflicting reports about the circumstances surrounding Jitlall’s demise.
The detained woman reportedly told police that she and her husband were drinking at her mother’s home when he went home for a change of clothes at around noon. After he did not return she sent one of their sons to see what was the matter and he discovered his father dead. She went home and shook him but his body was stiff. She then went to the police station to make a report, a few minutes after 4 pm.
However, according to the woman’s relatives, Jitlall was never at his mother-in-law’s home that day. They told Stabroek News that while his wife was there, he was not, although he was supposed to be there. It was because he did not show, they said, that the ten-year-old was sent to check on his whereabouts. He discovered him dead. They said that it was early in the afternoon and after the boy reported to them what he had discovered, relatives went over to the couple’s home. The wife then went to report to the police at about 4 pm. The mother-in-law said that she had last seen Jitlall last Monday.
Jitlall’s relatives related a different story. They said they learnt from neighbours that the couple had an argument and was playing loud music earlier that day. After a while, a shout was heard and the music stopped. They said it was around 4 pm that Jitlall’s reputed wife and her brother went and informed them of what had happened.
She reportedly told them that around 12 pm, she and Jitlall went to her mother’s home but they had a misunderstanding and he left. Around 3 pm, the son was sent to check on his father and discovered him dead. She reportedly told them that he had killed himself. They said when the police went to the home Jitlall’s body was “stiff, stiff”. He was dressed only in underwear. Additionally, they said, the house was in disarray as though a fight had taken place there.
The couple had lived together for 11 years and had five children. A post-mortem examination will be conducted tomorrow. (Gaulbert Sutherland)
