By Aviso Paul
With foul play suspected to be behind the fire that claimed the life of 51-year-old Nicola Marshall Jacobs, her 10 children are demanding justice and have called on the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service to conduct a thorough investigation.
The Guyana Fire Service reported that Jacobs died in a fire around 13:00 hrs on Wednesday at her Lot 14 Bachelor’s Adventure, East Coast Demerara (ECD) home.
The one-storey wooden house was owned by Norma Garnette and occupied by the now deceased woman and her common-law husband Alston Johnson.
The Fire Service has said that the fire is purported to have been maliciously set by an unknown person or persons.
Although the Fire Service had said Jacobs lived alone in the house, her children yesterday told Stabroek News that she and Johnson lived together at the address for almost five years.
One of the woman’s daughters, Shibiki Jacobs, said that her mother and Johnson spent Easter Monday at her brother’s home but they later got into an argument and the woman then left, saying she was headed home. Johnson subsequently followed, leaving behind his son.
On Wednesday at about 13:00 hrs, Shibiki Jacobs said, Johnson went to her workplace and informed her about the fire. She, however, said that she did not pay him any mind due to her discomfort with him and she continued with her work. She later received a call from her sister-in-law, who informed her of the fire at her mother’s home.
“…He came at my work place but I didn’t listen to him…he leave and went to my brother house and told my sister-in-law. She then call me and told me that my mother house was on fire. By the time I get a taxi and went to the place, the house was burnt flat,” said the woman’s daughter.
The woman’s eldest son, Travis Marshall, also told this newspaper that he spoke to his mother earlier on Wednesday and she asked him to accompany her to the house to move her things. He, however, could not leave work at the time.
“My mother call for me at my workplace and she went telling me that she want me to come and help move she out…so I say, ‘Man, wait. I gon’ come and move you out but I’m at work. As soon as I done, I gon come home and pick you up…’ The next call I get, like quarter to twelve, and I hear that my mother deh in a fire burning up.”
The man noted that when he arrived at the scene, he saw his mother’s charred remains in a chair.
The children also said that from what they observed, the door was apparently locked from outside.
Jacobs’ children described her as a hard-working and loving mother despite the many challenges she faced in her life.
The woman’s children called on the police and fire service to conduct an extensive investigation into her death since they believe that things are “fishy” at the moment.
“We don’t believe that our mother set she self on fire…something is fishy…and we want justice for our mother. We have a lot of questions that need answers. We are surprised with the police because they didn’t even come and find out anything from the family,” one of the children, observed.
