The relatives of an overseas-based Guyanese who died in Berbice earlier this month, have called on the police to launch an investigation into his death as they claim that before he succumbed, he had told his siblings that he was beaten.
A probe has since been launched into the death of Kamalodeen Abrahim, also known as ‘Raheem’, 62, who died at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital on February 6. The man was admitted to the hospital on February 1 after his siblings discovered that he had sustained some injuries.
His sister, Bebi Raseeda Amin, of Fyrish Village, Corentyne, yesterday explained that her brother migrated to the US some 30 years ago and returned on vacation several months ago. She said that he was staying at his Whim Village, Corentyne home.
The woman related that she saw her brother during his vacation as he would often visit her. However, in early February, someone told her daughter’s in-laws, that they had heard that the man was not feeling well.
“Me bin sick badly and me call he wife that live overseas and tell her that if she can get somebody to follow me to go and take him to the doctor,” the woman recounted.
However, after Abrahim’s wife was unable to locate someone to check on him, Amin, a few days later after recovering slightly, decided to head to Whim to check on her brother. She said that she and other relatives who ventured to the man’s house, discovered him in a lot of pain as he lay on his bed.
She said that Abrahim told her that he was badly beaten by the son of his wife’s relative. According to her, Abrahim said they beat him and broke his leg.
The man was taken to the Port Mourant district hospital and was immediately transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where he was admitted. Amin said that her brother, while in the hospital, in the presence of his wife related that he was beaten by her (the wife’s) relative’s son.
Meanwhile, Amin is also upset with the medical institution. She explained that after Abrahim died, they were told that an autopsy would be done the next day. However, when they showed up, they were told that there was no pathologist to conduct the autopsy. “They said that the man that got to do the autopsy is not in the country and that we have to wait three weeks to get it done, so we decided to go ahead and bury him because we are Muslims,” she related.
Meanwhile, according to information gathered, the accused has since left the country after discovering that Abrahim had told his relatives of the alleged assault. Stabroek News was told that the suspect’s father had allegedly broken into the deceased’s house and robbed him, which led to a misunderstanding between the two.
Relatives raised the matter with Gobin Harbhajan, the Prime Minister’s Representative in Region Six, who contacted the police and an investigation has since been launched.
