A 51-year-old farmer succumbed on Wednesday afternoon, hours after he was allegedly attacked by his nephew during an argument over plantains at Leguan Island, Essequibo River.
Dead is Aubrey Jonas called ‘Badja’, a resident of Phoenix, Leguan.
The incident took place around 2.55 pm. Jonas was taken to the Leguan Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed around 4 pm while receiving medical attention.
The suspect, his 27-year-old nephew escaped on foot.
Police yesterday confirmed that the suspect was arrested around 5 pm the said afternoon at an abandoned house in Phoenix, Leguan. He is presently in police custody assisting with investigation.
According to the police, a relative of Jonas reported that she observed the suspect entering Jonas’ farmland and picking some plantains.
Shortly after, the police said the woman noted that Jonas, armed with a cutlass came out of the backdam and asked the suspect who had given him permission to pick the plantains.
The woman added that Jonas then said “you touch the plantains and you gone see wah gone happen to you”, police added.
An argument ensued and both men subsequently left and went their separate ways. The police further stated that shortly after, the suspect armed himself with a knife and went to the Phoenix Koker and sat there. As Jonas was walking past him heading into the village, an argument erupted again, the police said.
During the argument, Jonas dealt the suspect a lash to his leg with the cutlass. This resulted in the suspect going into his mother’s yard and arming himself with a piece of wood which he used to inflict several lashes to Jonas’ head.
The entire incident was videoed. Police are in possession of the video.
