Woman, son brutalize young Berbician girl

May 14, 2009 News

Liloutie Seepersaud and her son, Arnold, are to appear in the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court tomorrow to answer charges stemming from a severe beating they allegedly inflicted on 23-year-old, Shaneeza Hartman, of section ‘B’ D’Edward Village, West Coast Berbice, on Sunday last.

The battered woman displays her wounds four days later

Yesterday, Hartman told her story and displayed the marks of violence she sustained about her body allegedly at the hands of the duo, and despite viewing them some four days later; the bruises were still visible on about 70 per cent of her body.

According to Hartman, she started working with the woman’s husband whom she knew only as, Seepersaud, in February last year. She said that they subsequently started a relationship. She left the job in January, but noted that they were still close. He frequented her home.

According to Hartman, the man’s wife, Liloutie, was not in the country and only returned about a month ago.

Hartman related that she did not know the wife until her return from overseas. She said that after she found out about the woman, and upon learning that Seepersaud had also traveled overseas to join his wife, she broke off the relationship.

The brutalized woman recalled that she had bought a freezer from Seepersaud and because of the relationship they had shared she was allowed a discount as well as the opportunity to pay in two instalments.

She noted that when she was finished paying, the man arranged for his transportation to carry the household appliance to her home.

Hartman added that she had enquired about a receipt and the man had agreed to prepare one, and that she was supposed to have collected it on Sunday last.

She noted that following her departure from Seepersaud’s job she had started working at a shop next door. On Sunday last he reportedly asked someone to call her and she assumed that it was in connection with the receipt.

According to Hartman when she finished her work she went over and was asked to wait in the shop whilst the other employee closed up.

She said that she was not suspicious of anything given that the wife was not at home and she knew of a rear entrance to the premises.

Hartman continued that when the shop was closed Seepersaud received a phone call and he went upstairs while she remained downstairs.

“I hear a vehicle and I know was he son…I hear he wife talking and I ain’t move.”

She added that the son, Arnold, subsequently came downstairs and asked her what she was doing there, “and I tell he that I waiting on he father to collect a receipt.”

Hartman continued that the mother subsequently came down with a belt in her hands and the son grabbed her from behind by her elbows.

“He tell she fuh beat me, ‘how we ketch she now’…and they start to beat me,” said Hartman.

The still scarred woman stated that she managed to fight off the two, and ran upstairs, given that she knew the layout of the building.

She added that at this point the son also grabbed a belt and the two chased after her and as she fought to open the front door the duo cornered and dealt her a severe thrashing. “They follow me, beating me all de time, beating me all the time…ah beg them to stop and they still keep on beating me.”

Hartman said that she eventually managed to get the door open only to be confronted by a closed gate and the beating continued. “Is the boys dem pon the road that holler pun she and tell she open the gate and let the girl come out.”

She noted that they refused and the son came down and the thrashing continued, and it was only after the people on the road started to behave bad that she was allowed to leave the premises.

She said that she ran out onto the road and managed to stop a bus which took her home and she subsequently made a report to the police station.

“When I reach home meh whole skin de swell, me coulda barely move…is sheer pain.”

A report was subsequently made to the police and she was given a medical certificate to be prepared at the hospital (Fort Wellington Hospital).

Hartman added that her fear was that she would not be in receipt of a fair hearing given that the perpetrators are openly boasting that they had clout over the police and that they had money to pay their way through.

The duo has since been charged and placed on station bail to appear in the Blairmont Court tomorrow.