A 56-year-old businesswoman was yesterday morning found bound and gagged in her Mahaicony home following a suspected robbery and the police have since arrested a teenager for questioning in connection with the discovery.
Dead is Bibi Shairoon Nesha Ali, a mother of three who resided alone at Lot 4 Novar, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara. She had operated a grocery shop for several years.
According to reports reaching Stabroek News, the lifeless body of Ali was found lying on the floor of her bedroom around 6.30 am yesterday by a young man who relatives sent to the house to make checks after receiving several calls from neighbours that she had not been seen since Saturday morning.
At the time of the discovery, Ali’s feet and hands were tied with electric wire and the house was ransacked. Relatives believed that Ali was killed between late Saturday evening and Sunday morning since her body was already in an advance state of decomposition.
Commander of ‘C’ Division Marlon Chapman confirmed that the suspect, a teenager from Mahaicony, was arrested shortly after the incident and is assisting with the investigation. Reports are that the teenager and the dead woman had an argument several days ago over some coconuts.
However, while the motive of the murder remained unclear up to yesterday afternoon, relatives said that a quality of items including cell phones and phone cards which Ali sold were missing and no cash was found in the house.
When this newspaper arrived at the scene yesterday morning, the house was cordoned off as a crime scene and police officers were present in their numbers carrying out investigations. Residents of the community and family members also gathered. Many were heard expressing shock over the incident and relatives began to wail loudly as undertakers removed the body from the house.
It was observed that pieces of wood had been ripped out from the shop, which is attached to the front of Ali’s home, and it is suspected that the perpetrator/s gained entry from there.
The woman’s sister, Shana Ali, explained to this newspaper that a neighbour called her early yesterday morning expressing concern that Ali had not been seen since Saturday morning and that several calls to her went unanswered. Family members thereafter decided to send a young man, who is known to them, to check on Ali and the discovery was made.
“Neighbours say that the gate did padlock from inside, so we tell the boy when he go and it lock to jump over the fence and go check on she,” Shana Ali said. Upon entering the premises, the young man realised that the back door was open and the house was ransacked. He then discovered Ali lying on the floor of her bedroom with her feet and hands tied with electric wire. There were several marks of violence to her face and chop wounds to her back, the sister said.
Shana Ali related that while she last spoke to her sister on Thursday afternoon, other relatives who reside overseas had spoken with her up to Saturday after 7 pm.
One neighbour said she had known Ali for over 25 years. The woman said she last saw and spoke to Ali on Thursday when she visited the shop to purchase a phone card and a soft drink.
“She didn’t open whole day Sunday and the place was locked up but we didn’t worry right away because she did tell we already that if anytime we see the place lock up so that we mustn’t call hard and get worry, she does take she tablets and sleep away,” the woman said.
Another neighbour said he sensed something was amiss on Sunday evening when he realised that he had not seen Ali for the entire day and that she had not opened for business which was quite unusual. As a result, he called another villager who informed her family.
Persons in the area did not recall hearing any unusual sounds during Saturday evening to Sunday morning that would have alerted them that something was wrong. Ali had no immediate neighbours. The house on the eastern side is unoccupied and on the western there is an empty lot.
Ali was described as a very peaceful and friendly individual. She leaves to mourn three sons, all of whom reside overseas.
As investigations continue, a post-mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted tomorrow.
