A 45-year-old Stabroek Market handyman was on Saturday evening stabbed to death by three men on bicycles in the vicinity of Strikey’s Bar, New Road Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, in what appears to be a random attack.
Dead is Wafad Wahab called Ricky of Lot 6 Harlem, West Coast Demerara.
According to a police report, the incident occurred at about 18:50 hrs on Saturday. The report said that at about 18:00 hrs, Wahab went to Lot 139 New Road to visit his aunt Kumarie, who had arrived from the United States. However, when Wahab arrived there his aunt recognised that he was under the influence of alcohol. She reportedly told him that she did not like seeing him in such a condition, so he must go home, relax and return the following day to see her. Wahab left, walking east along the road.
He was in the vicinity of Strikey’s Bar, when he was attacked. An eyewitness said the suspects rode off on bicycles in a northern direction into Evergreen Street and escaped. After the attack, Wahab got up and staggered into Strikey’s Bar where the proprietor heard a customer shouting, “watch this man bleeding hay boy.”
The proprietor immediately called the Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station and a police vehicle with ranks arrived within minutes and took him to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. He was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor.
The report said Wahab sustained wounds to his left shoulder, lower left back, outer and inner parts of his right arm and right side of the rib area. His body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Strikey’s Bar owner told Stabroek News yesterday that he and his wife were attending to customers when Wahab staggered into the bar and collapsed not far from the entrance. Blood was only seen spraying from his arm at the time. Someone rendered assistance and tied a shirt around the arm. Customers at the bar surrounded him and he was said to be under the influence of alcohol. They immediately contacted the police and an ambulance.
However, they were told that the ambulance was not in the region and as a result waited on the police. While awaiting the police’s arrival, they realised that blood was seen gushing from several parts of the man’s body. Wahab was still breathing and moving. The police arrived and escorted the man to the hospital.
The CCTV footage was viewed and men on two bicycles were seen with someone. “We see when he walk in [the bar] but at the front [on the road], the only thing we saw was two bicycle and because the place was dark we just see the movements. … It happen at the corner so, and the camera didn’t pick up everything,” the bar owner said.
The motive for the attack on Wahab is not known.
Wahab’s cousin told Stabroek News that they received a call on Saturday evening notifying them about the incident that occurred. They rushed to the hospital but he had already died.
Wahab was identified at the scene by a vegetables vendor of Stabroek Market who stated that he was a cart pusher and called “Ricky.’’ He was the father of one and was described as a nice person. She related that Wahab would usually drink alcohol on weekends but he was not a known troublemaker.
There were what appeared to be bloodstains on the southern side of the road where the incident occurred. The area was canvassed and footage from several CCTV cameras is currently being extracted. Checks are being made for the suspects. Statements have been taken and further investigations are in progress.
