Relatives of an Anna Catherina man who was found floating face-down in the Cornelia Ida koker around 6 am on Friday say that they do not suspect foul play in his death.
Residents of Gas Station Street in the West Coast Demerara village, woke up to the news that Abdool Nazir Hack, 48, was found floating in the Cornelia Ida koker. Hack’s body was discovered by a neighbour, and though it bore lacerations, relatives told this newspaper that they do not believe Hack was murdered.
Bibi Juma, Hack’s sister, said she had visited her mother, Zabeeda Hack, 82, at her lot 35 Gas Station Street residence on Thursday. While she was there, she said, her mother asked her for her brother. Juma said she told her that she could not say where Hack was, and asked her in turn when last she had seen him.
Juma said her mother, who had become extremely worried, told her that she had not laid eyes on Hack since Wednesday morning, but expressed hope that he would return. Thursday ended, without Hack’s return.
Juma said it was on Friday morning that the family’s worst fears materialized; a neighbour informed them that Hack had been found dead.
When asked might have caused Hack, who could not swim, to end up in the koker, Juma said he would normally consume alcohol and it was possible that he could have fallen overboard.
When this newspaper visited the home Hack shared with his mother yesterday, the devastated woman was being comforted by relatives, as she held on to a picture of him and wept bitterly.
“My brother was quiet and easy going,” Juma said.
Hack leaves to mourn his mother and six siblings. He was not married and had no children. However, he was loved by village children, some of whom he escorted to school, according to Juma.
A post-mortem examination is to be performed this week. Relatives told this publication that they are hoping to bury Hack on Monday, if the PME is done early that day.
