A 51-year-old labourer is now dead after being bludgeoned with a metal pipe by a friend at the Timehri, East Bank Demerara wharf on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the police, Vernon Cummings, of Ice House Road, Timehri, was involved in an argument with a friend around 5 pm. During the argument, he was struck to the back of his head with a metal pipe by his friend.
Cummings subsequently succumbed to the injuries he sustained as a result of the beating.
The 41-year-old suspect, also a labourer of Ice House Road, is currently in police custody.
However, according to eyewitnesses and friends of the two men, they work at the wharf, where they would often hang out together.
“Normally them man does get an argument with themselves steady, steady. They does normally deh ‘bout here working and like if one get a load to work and he come before the other and get money now, the other one would vex so they would get an argument with themselves from time to time,” an eyewitness explained yesterday, while stating that two men have been working together at the wharf for more than two decades.
“When they done they hustle, they would go and drink together. I don’t know exactly what ’cause the issue but eventually they start arguing and he [Vernon] start hollering ‘Leff me alone!’ And the other one saying, ‘I got to do something and kill you!’ And eventually it happened,” the man, who did not want to be named, said.
He pointed out that the argument escalated into a physical altercation quickly and both men armed themselves.
Vernon reportedly armed himself with a boat paddle, while his friend armed himself with a metal pipe.
“So, the one with the iron pipe was more aggressive and he lash he [Vernon] and he fall down and he start lashing he more times. Is a few lashes pelt,” the man added.
After Cummings was hit several times to his head, he succumbed to his injuries before being rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Another man explained that the accused is a known troublemaker and frequently gets into arguments with persons who are around. “He got about 40 buss head because he always troubling somebody. People always saying they gon’ get murder charge for he but is he get it this time. He does always tantalising people every day and even me get in trouble with he before,” the man said.
