Johnathan Validen, who died in a suspicious motorbike accident on the Montrose public road on Wednesday, had expressed fears for his life only a week ago, according to his lawyer.
His lawyer, Jerome Khan, told Stabroek News yesterday that Validen had visited his office last week and told him that he feared for his life. Khan said that Validen had also previously expressed such fears and had said that he wouldn’t live long.
Validen, a national of Canada, had come to Guyana several years ago as the beneficiary of his father’s estate and stayed on.
Khan said that he had advised Validen that he should return to Canada.
Police have so far said that Validen lost control of his bike and fell along the Montrose Public Road, where his body was later found. However, his widow, Jennifer Validen, has accused police of overlooking key evidence that might point to culpability in his death.
A post-mortem examination performed on the remains of Jonathan Validen yesterday revealed that he died from injuries sustained to his head. He had also suffered a broken arm and leg and other injuries about his body.
Meanwhile, Jennifer yesterday said unknown persons, claiming to be relatives of her husband, have been attempting to claim his body.
Jennifer said she was informed by the police that persons have also been showing up in an attempt to secure her husband’s death certificate.
A similar situation occurred when Jonathan’s father, Dr. Charles Validen, passed away in 2012. For several weeks, several persons claiming to be his relatives attempted to claim his body before his son finally showed up from Canada.
Jennifer commended the job the police have done so far in preventing persons from accessing her husband’s body and death certificate.
She also said a lawyer, whom she declined to name, had also called her and questioned her about papers, which he wanted to be handed over to him. “I am grieving right now. The lawyer didn’t even ask how I doing. He just went straight and start questioning me,” the distraught woman said, before adding that at the moment she is not even concerned about her husband’s property.
The couple had been married for over a year and shared a one-year-old child. Jennifer said the child misses her father, who played an active role in her life. “All I want right now is a decent burial for my husband,” the woman added.
The widow said she was not aware of any relative of her husband, since his parents and sister are dead. She said there are “rumors of children flying in today and tomorrow” circulating. However, she said he had only ever mentioned a son, who he suspected to be his, but he wasn’t known to him and did not have any connections with him.
