A Berbice fisherman was on Thursday found dead at the Kumaka Waterfront, North West District, with what appeared to be marks of violence on his face and neck, several days after he was reported missing by his boat’s captain.
As a result, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday reported that three fellow crew members of Mohamed Rai, also known as “Reyaz”, 33, of Lot 6 Sheet Anchor Village, East Canje Berbice, are among the five persons now in custody for questioning about his death. The other two persons in custody are two female Venezuelans, with whom he was reportedly last seen.
In a statement, the GPF said Mohamed’s body was spotted around 8 am on Thursday after which he was positively identified by the boat captain, Edwin O’Neil, and other crew members. “The body was examined and what appears to be marks of violence were seen on the right side of his neck and right eye,” it added.
According to Rai’s sister, Andrea Davis, of Palmyra Village, her brother left home on July 15 to head on a boat to Paramaribo, Suriname as he would normally do. However, she said, they were later informed that instead of Suriname he went to a location in Georgetown.
While police said that Rai was reported missing on Tuesday, his sister yesterday said that her family was only informed on Wednesday. She said the captain, O’Neil, said her brother was last seen in the company of those arrested. “He [boat caption] say he send someone to call my brother; that he went by a shop corner and when the boy go my brother had a beer in his hand and tell he he a come just now and then after that them na see he back.”
Davis said on Thursday she received a phone call about a body being found “and they send me a picture and me identify him.”
According to the young woman, from the picture her brother’s face appeared to be swollen “and black and blue and one a he eye missing. It look like them beat he up.”
Further, the young woman related that while the autopsy was planned for yesterday, the family had not received any more information. “Me uncle gone to witness it but he na meet deh yet”, Davis said around 2.30 pm.
Meanwhile, Davis noted that her brother was always quiet “but only he like talk when he drink.”
