Five were recorded in January, representing an increase over the four that occurred during the same period last year.
Police have been able to lay a charge in one of the cases, while the suspects in the others are yet to be found.
On January 1, Bebe Jahooral Banu was found dead at her Lot 5A De Willem North, West Coast Demerara bottom flat apartment. Her stockings, pants and underwear were pulled below her knees, her top pulled up to her shoulders and a piece of cloth was found around her neck. A post-mortem examination revealed that Banu, 66, died of manual strangulation. A man was initially held for questioning but was released after police said he was not a suspect. A second man was later held before also being released.
Police have said that there have been no further developments in the case though investigations are continuing
On January 13, the lifeless body of taxi-driver Marc Small was found in his car at Goedverwagting Road, Plaisance.
Small, 49, of Sunset Hotel, David Street, Kitty, who was attached to the GT Express Taxi Service based on Sheriff Street, was found in a trench near to his yellow cab, HB 7962, which was partially submerged. There were six stab wounds about his body.
It was another taxi driver who was passing around 1:48am who spotted the car in the trench and called a number he saw printed in the vehicle. The police were later notified and Small was found.
The nude body of Afrozie ‘Lizzie’ Ali, 40, of Lot 56 Zeelugt, West Coast Demerara, was discovered at a cemetery in Zeelugt on January 15. A post-mortem examination conducted on her remains revealed that she died from asphyxiation due to manual strangulation and blunt trauma to the head.
Rushelle Rodney was found with her throat slit and stab wounds about her body at her home located at Blankenburg, West Coast Demerara on January 17 and her husband, who is the main suspect, remains at large.
Rodney’s neck and both wrists slit and also there were several stab wounds to her back, stomach and chest. One of her two children made the discovery around midday at their Lot 72 Boodhoo Housing Scheme home. A post-mortem examination performed on the body showed that she died as a result of multiple stab wounds and a slit throat.
Her husband, Shawn Rodney, who is implicated in the murder, has since contacted the woman’s relatives and reportedly took responsibility for the crime. He is believed to have fled to Suriname.
On January 20, Rojin Basdeo, 39, was chopped to death at a cattle ranch and police have since charged ranch hand Ramesh ‘Toney’ Ramraj of No 65 Village, Corentyne with the murder. Reports are that Basdeo was relaxing in a hammock when Ramraj allegedly approached with the two cutlasses and attacked him. The men reportedly had a misunderstanding earlier.
