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Preliminary inquiry ends in de-scalping murder trial after 5 years…
Two women including American Citizen committed to stand trial for murder
Two women including a United States citizen who are charged with murder since 2012 have been
Hemwattie Abdulla
committed to stand trial in the next sitting of the Berbice Criminal Court.
The women are Hemwattie Abdulla, 37 called “Anita Nazeema Khan” formerly of Albion, Corentyne and of Ozone Park, New York, USA, and her accomplice, Surojinie Tirmaul, 43, of Belvedere New Housing Scheme, Corentyne, Berbice.
They are accused of murdering Abdool Shakeel Majid, a citizen of the USA on April 26, 2012 at No. 63 Beach Corentyne. The body was found with its scalp missing and other injuries at the Number 56 Village, Corentyne foreshore.
They were committed at the end of a Preliminary Inquiry conducted by Magistrate Rabindranauth Singh at the Springlands Magistrate’s Court. The women had earlier undergone a Preliminary Inquiry by retired Magistrate Krisendat Persaud; however this was incomplete due to his retirement.
Attorney at Law Mursalene Bacchus represented the two women while special prosecutor Ganesh Hira appeared for the state.
Around 07:40 hrs on April 27,2012, the body of a man was found with his scalp missing and other injuries to his body on the No. 56 Village, Corentyne foreshore.
The remains were only identified on May 16, 2012 when a brother visited Guyana after becoming suspicious about the wife’s behaviour. At no time did the man’s spouse inform the police that he was missing.
It is believed that the man who was a former New York taxi driver was murdered shortly after he arrived in Guyana for one of his many visits. The victim and the woman got married in December 2011. After the marriage, the woman reportedly made frequent visits to Guyana.
On April 22, the couple visited Guyana for a holiday, and on April 25, Majid and his wife travelled to Berbice in a car that the victim often rented from a young friend.
Surojinie Tirmaul
Majid allegedly telephoned his sister the following day and informed her that he was heading to Suriname.
His relatives did not hear from him again. In the interim, the wife returned to the United States. The brother meanwhile had made a missing person’s report and had informed the NYPD. He was advised to visit Guyana. He made a report at the Eve Leary Police Station, but was surprised that the police at Eve Leary had no information on any missing person.
Majid had reportedly taken out a million-dollar insurance policy in the United States in March 2011. He had also been awarded a hefty settlement after being injured in an accident.
Police was able to crack the case after the woman, who had returned to the United States after the man went missing, returned to Guyana from the United States and reported to the New Amsterdam Police Station to identify her slain husband’s body after he was found. She was promptly arrested.
Police had impounded the vehicle in which Majid’s body was reportedly transported. Bloodstains and sand were found in the car trunk. Detectives reportedly also retrieved the woman’s driver’s permit from the car.
Detectives were alerted that a car that the victim had rented was returned by the wife. The owner had observed that the vehicle had several dents. The wife had reportedly left some money to have the damaged vehicle fixed.
During the Preliminary Inquiry there were many legal battles with Attorney at Law Mursalene Bacchus and Special Prosecutor Attorney at law Ganesh Hira. Among those testifying were Deputy Detective Superintendent of Police Gary Mc Alister, retired Detective Sergeant Charles Joseph, Detective Corporal Harvey and a brother of the deceased.
Meanwhile, a man who was wanted for his part in the brutal murder and had fled the country was captured and remanded to jail. Pooran Jaundoo, 26, had multiple addresses. Police had listed them as Lot 57 New Housing Scheme, Belvedere Settlement, Berbice; Second Street, Overwinning, Greater New Amsterdam and Lot 31 Section ‘B’, Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice.
He was nabbed in neighbouring Suriname by the authorities there and subsequently deported and arrested upon arrival in Guyana.
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