“Since the loss of her daughter, Elmeena DeFreitas has suffered immensely, both psychologically and physically. From the 27th of February [2019] to the present, she has suffered from multiple panic attacks, and episodes of depression which has only worsened since the murder of her only son in 2022. She is unable to move around as she wishes because of the severe pain that accompanies her and worsens during her depressive episodes”.
This is a portion of the Impact Statement written on behalf of the family of Nadina Kalamadeen whose life was snuffed out mercilessly by a man whose advances she rebuffed. The man, Raymond O’Selmo was last Friday sentenced to 10 years in jail for the heinous crime. As a result, Elmeena is feeling like she has been slapped in the face by the justice system. The convict will be out of jail in six years.
In an interview with Stabroek News (SN), the still grieving mother related that the Impact Statement of the deceased’s family was never read in court. Instead, only O’Selmo’s was heard by the court.
“Only his impact statement was read … saying that he, how he killed her in the best style he could ever, you know? So as long as I got Jet Lee back again, they alright man, he’s a freestyle killer… he pulled she hand and she said no. And because of that, he just slashed she face and jook she back and go over she and stab she up. Yeah, freestyle, so like they need people like that out here. I feel so. They don’t need a humble man or humble person or whatever. They, they need freestyle killer,” she stated.
Elmeena recounted that the man’s lawyer, Teriq Mohammed, had told the court that his client had had a hard childhood and he was an alcoholic and had pleaded with the judge to give O’Selmo a chance to see life differently. On this note the mother rebutted to SN that she too, along with her siblings had a hard childhood:
“I was nine when my father was murdered too. And this isn’t happening now. This ain’ happening now… in this government, in the PPP government, no. My father was killed 46 years ago in PNC time when (a) bodyguard shot my father for a cold beer, for nothing. When the time was changing over the first of August, they had a celebration at Shell, Shell gas station for a cold beer. Yes, shot my father for nothing. Cause my father buy the last cold beer. We get no justice. I now felt how my mother felt. I now felt it. My mother used to cry. We grew up in the homes, actually on the streets, cause my grandma go and sell the home. She get crazy, like, you know, old age. She just sell the house for nothing. We get put out on the streets. Mommy go to the Catholic home… So the five uh we, the five children that she make, we ain’t turn murderer, thank God. We ain’t turn no killer, praise the Lord. We bear we life, she married out who she could married out, men take advantage on the rest, like me, yes. Me ain’t become nobody bad, no. I pray to God and I face the fact and I mind my children. Yes. And then turn out now to get this hay. This is so sickening…This is so sickening”, she said.
In the Impact Statement of Nadina’s family, the trauma that her children faced just before and at her demise was described. It detailed the hard task of family members to tell the woman’s three minor children, all below the age of ten at the time, that their mother had passed away.
“Her eldest son, then 20, accompanied by his late uncle, took his mother to the hospital. But not before her three youngest, three, seven and nine years old at the time got a glimpse of her bloody and almost lifeless body lying in the streets of Sophia… Nadina’s two eldest, LaToya and Shakiel are now adults and have moved forward with their lives… but her three youngest are left to figure out how to manage life without their mother,” the statement said while adding that financial aid is being given them by the government.
With reference to this financial assistance, Elmeena noted that this has been once every three months and coupled with questions on whether or not the children’s father helps to take care of them. She noted that the government representatives have also pointed out that they did not promise to take care of the children always.
“But they promise to help he (the convict) throughout he life because he ..get glasses, he well taken care of, right? The state well taking care of this man plus he gon be free soon on the road… I’m so hurting on the part and I’m sick. I’m sick and hurting on the part,” she said.
Given that Elmeena is almost incapacitated and barely able to take care of the children, their aunt Nirvani (Nadina’s now 24-year-old sister) has taken up the responsibility of helping to raise them. The grieving mother noted that Nirvani has put her life on hold for the sake of her sister’s children, since the incident, when she was just 22.
Elmeena severely criticised the judge’s decision for a 10-year sentence. The mother lamented that she received no justice for her daughter’s death, adding, “this man murdered my child for nothing. No reason. They had no affair. No reason. Just murdered my child, leaving her with five children. Her five children, two of which big and three small ones, I am having. It’s hard. It’s hard on me”.
In the Impact Statement, a call for sound justice, to be meted out to the perpetrator for his action, was made. It noted that nothing can mend the children’s hearts but justice for their mother, however, would be a start.
“…. There is nothing you can do to him to make him feel the pain we felt, the pain she felt. But knowing that he is away will help us all to heal, the best we possibly could,” it pleaded.
The matter was presided over by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry.
