A fellow villager, said to be a drug addict, was yesterday charged with the murder of Belmont, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara fruit vendor Fareez Yassem, who was stabbed over 40 times about his body on Monday during a suspected robbery at his home.
The unemployed Malcolm Brown, 30, is accused of murdering Yassem on May 14th.
The charge was read to him when he appeared before Magistrate Wanda Fortune at the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court.
Brown was not required to plead to the capital offence and he was remanded to prison and the matter was adjourned until June 8th.
Yassem, 36, a father of three of Lot 25 Belmont, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, died early Monday morning after he was stabbed about his body.
The police had said that the attack occurred around 1.45 am and Yassem’s body was found in a northern drain in his yard.
An autopsy performed on Yassem’s remains on Wednesday revealed that he died as a result of multiple stab wounds.
Farah Yassem, Fareez’s sister, yesterday told Stabroek News that her brother sustained 43 stab wounds about his body.
This newspaper understands that Brown was the first suspect who was taken into custody on Monday, shortly after the fatal attack.
A bicycle and pair of slippers, which were recovered at the crime scene, reportedly belong to him.
Brown, this newspaper was told, is allegedly part of a gang of drug addicts who are known for lurking in the yards of Belmont residents in search of valuables they can sell.
Yassem was attacked after he opened his door to investigate a strange noise that was coming from his yard on Monday morning.
It was alleged that after Yassem opened his door, Brown whipped out a knife that he had in his possession and repeatedly stabbed Yassem.
Three other persons were also detained for questioning about the murder but they have since been released.
Farah had related to Stabroek News that based on what she was told, Fareez’s wife, Davie and the couple’s children were asleep when the attack occurred.
She said from all indications, her brother knew his attacker/s.
According to Farah, money from Sunday’s sales was missing. She, however, also said although her brother was wearing several pieces of jewellery at the time of his death, they were all found intact.
Farah had said that it is suspected that he ventured to the lower flat of his house to use the washroom.
While there, she believes he must have heard a strange noise and investigated and was then stabbed. “All she (Davie) hear him saying was ‘Ow bai! Ow bai!’” Farah said.
Davie subsequently discovered his body. By that time, Fareez was already dead.
