— committed to psychiatric hospital
The woman who the police have fingered in the brutal killing of 85-year-old Geneiva Henry, whose body was found on Brickdam, cannot be held responsible for her actions because of her insane status, according to the Director of Public Prosecu-tions (DPP).
A senior police officer yesterday told Stabroek News that following an investigation into the woman’s death the police submitted the file to the DPP for advice. He said the DPP has advised that no charge should be laid against the woman because of her insanity.
“The DPP said the woman is mad and cannot be held responsible for her action,” the officer said. The woman is now a patient at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Berbice.
Following the death of Henry, known as ‘Jenny’, who was found bludgeoned to death on September 30, the suspect was held.
It is unclear what evidence the police had against her, but it is believed that someone may have seen her commit the act.
Henry was a colourful figure in the vicinity of the Brickdam and Camp Street junction, where she was well known for always striking up conversations and for her collection of bags. She was laid to rest after a ceremony at the Brickdam Cathedral on Friday.
She was discovered on the parapet outside the Catholic presbytery on Brickdam with a wound at the back of her head.
A post mortem report put the cause of death as a brain haemorrhage. It is believed she was struck with a wood that had a nail attached.
The senior officer also told Stabroek News that the police will be taking a closer look into the recent deaths of homeless persons.
In August, the bloodied body Bissoondyal Mangar was found in the place he called home, just behind the North Road and Light Street office of Dr Walter Ramsahoye. He was found lying dead on a piece of mattress with his face bloodied and chop-wounds on his only arm. No one has been charged with his murder.
Just prior to Mangar’s death, another man was found with his head bashed in lying on a stall at Bourda Market. Reports were that the man used the stalls as his bed in the nights and someone in the area heard a sound and then what sounded like a loud groan and when they investigated they found him dead.
Also, a woman, who along with her twin sister roamed the streets of the city, was found dead in similar circumstances.