Police on the Essequibo Coast have arrested several persons for questioning in relation to investigations into the murder of 74-year-old Surspattie Ramlakhan who was found dead in her home on Friday morning.
“Persons are being arrested and questioned daily. Nobody however, cannot be charged until we have solid evidence against them,” ‘G’ Division Commander Kevin Adonis said. Dr Nehaul Singh performed an autopsy on Ramlakhan’s body at the Suddie Mortuary on Tuesday.
The woman’s body bore scratch marks to her neck and other marks of violence that pointed to rape, when she was found on Friday. Her white nightgown was bundled around her waist.
Ramlakhan, who was fondly known as ‘Aunty Carmen’ was well known in her village. She had no children and lived alone in a cottage on the Essequibo Coast where she sold snacks and sweets for her livelihood in front of her home.
The woman was last seen alive on Thursday by her nephew Tardeo Singh when she visited him at his Henrietta Village home.
She reportedly left his home to go to the market to buy mangoes then return to her home.
Another nephew, Latchman Rajpaul, told Stabroek News that after the post-mortem examination was conducted on his aunt’s body police reportedly told him that the body bore injuries that indicated that she had been raped.
“The police said that the person who raped my aunt had to be a strong because of all the injury they find on her body.
They didn’t tell us if they arrest anybody though,” he said.
Investigations are ongoing.
