Mohammed Ramzan Shaheed for whom a wanted bulletin was last week issued in relation to the murder of an 85-year-old Bushlot, West Coast Berbice woman has since been arrested.
According to information gathered, Shaheed was arrested in Bushlot Village, West Coast Berbice around 4.30 pm on Saturday.
A police source yesterday told Stabroek News that the man has since denied having any involvement in the woman’s murder.
The body of Sumintra Sawh, also known as “Aunty Betty”, of Lot 131 Section ‘B’ Bushlot Village was found on her bed with stab wounds – one on both sides of her temple, three on the forehead, and one to the back of the head last week Monday.
The woman’s great niece, Roshanie Basdeo, also known as ‘Mala’, 35, of Lot 84 D Bushlot Village on Friday last appeared at the Weldaad Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Peter Hugh where the charge of murder was read to her.
The charge says that on Monday, November 28, at Lot 131 Section B Bushlot Village, Basdeo murdered Sawh.
The unrepresented woman was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison. She will return to court on December 14, for report.
Sawh resided alone following the death of her husband a few years ago. However, her great niece who she regarded as her granddaughter, would spend the evenings with her.
Initially, Basdeo had claimed that the kitchen door located in the lower flat was left open and two men entered and carried out a robbery. She had claimed, one took her downstairs and tied her up while the second went upstairs where he killed Sawh and robbed her of $350,000 cash and personal documents.
However, after the police continued their investigation, Basdeo then said she planned the robbery with Shaheed, who resides directly behind Sawh and would carry out odd jobs for her resulting in the Guyana Police Force issuing a wanted bulletin for Shaheed.
However, last Thursday evening Basdeo reportedly confessed to investigators that she killed Sawh after the elderly woman accused her of stealing her money and documents.
She claimed that she told Sawh that she did not take her money or remove anything from the house but Sawh continued to accuse her throughout the evening.
She said she became annoyed and took a hammer and a piece of wood which she used to deal several lashes to the elderly woman causing her to become motionless.
She then went to the lower flat where she then used a razor blade to inflict injuries on her neck and hand to make it seem as if they had been attacked.
The woman then claimed that she alone was responsible for the murder of Sawh.
