Frequent quarrels and fights characterized their life together culminating in death on Monday when 25-year-old Nafeeza Khan was stabbed to death at her Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara home.
The suspect, her reputed husband, is in police custody assisting with investigations into the murder.
Their three children, all girls, ages one month, one year and three years are at neighbours who said that decisions on their future are to be made after the funeral of Khan.
The loud sounds of a quarrel on Monday afternoon did not elicit much attention from neighbours in the area, accustomed as they were to the couple’s frequent fights. “It’s a normal thing”, a man, who identified himself as Kennard said. Others disclosed that the couple often had three or four quarrels a week. They said that the couple’s fights often got physical with both of them hitting one another. They said that Khan often went away but would always return. They recalled too, her reputed husband being held by police following some of the incidents but not being charged, as according to them, Khan always begged for the matter to be dropped.
The couple had begun to live together over four years ago and from all appearances their life together was not an easy one. A leaning shack at 305 Goed Fortuin Squatting Area was what they called home. Khan was a housewife while her reputed husband did odd jobs.
Shortly before 2 pm on Monday, a quarrel flared up between the couple. Neighbours paid no heed. It was normal. Then the couple entered the home where the quarrel continued. Shortly after Khan emitted a scream and this alerted neighbours that something might be wrong. Khan’s reputed husband left the house and went onto the road. Khan was found lying on the wooden floor, covered in blood. The two youngest children were on the bed in the home, also splattered with blood.
When the police arrived they found him on the road. “He din run or anything, he din know that she dead”, neighbours said. He was arrested. Police said that a knife believed to have been used in the attack was recovered.
Neighbours emphasized that the family lived in poverty and fights were constant. “He would hit she and she would hit he”. This ended on Monday leaving the future of the children, seemingly unaware of the change in their lives, hanging in the balance. (Gaulbert Sutherland)