DPP slaps murder charge on husband who sets wife on fire

Nov 11, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Ajay Persaud, the man accused of setting his wife on fire during a row over a bird cage was on Thursday recharged with murder.

According to Police, Persaud popularly known as Nicholas appeared virtually (a court appearance via ZOOM) at the Wales Magistrate’s Court. He was charged with the murder of 20-year-old Analee Gonsalves, a mother of two that took place on August 23 last. The charge was read to him by Magistrate Faith McGusty and he was not required to plead. Persaud is scheduled to make his next court appearance on the November 24, 2022. Persaud was initially charged with attempted murder on October 13 last some two days after his arrest. Gonsalves was still alive at the time. However, 12 hours after he was sent to prison on remand for the offence, Gonsalves succumbed to third degrees burns at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Dead: Analee Gonsalves

After learning about her death, the case file was updated and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali Hack SC. advised that Persaud be recharged with murder. According to reports, Persaud is accused of using methylated spirits to set the woman alight.

Police had moved to hunt him down after Gonsalves had finally decided to tell police the truth about what had happened to her that day. Kaieteur News was the first to break the story when the incident had occurred but it was reported that he had allegedly doused her with hot porridge.

Recharged with murder, Ajay Persaud

Investigations were stalled after Gonsalves refused to give Police a statement.

One month had passed and Gonsalves probably after realising that she might not recover from her injuries, decided to make a recorded statement. In that statement, she revealed that her husband had bathed her with methylated spirits and then set her alight in an argument over wet boxers, and a bird in a cage.

She had stated too that the reason for her not remaining silent was because she wanted to protect the lives of her two babies – a toddler and a 1-month-old child. Gonsalves alleged that Persaud via a phone call, had threatened to kill himself and her two babies if she ever decided to tell Police the truth. Her plan, she claimed was to recover fully, rescue her children, and then report the matter. The dead woman had also alleged that her mother-in-law had coerced her into saying that the whole thing was an accident and had concocted a tale that Gonsalves was burnt by an exploding pot of porridge. Gonsalves also alleged that the woman had lied to the Doctors claiming to be her mother.

After receiving the statement, Police started to look for Persaud and eventually captured him hiding out in Berbice. Police had also included in the case file that Gonsalves Mother-in-Law had tried to cover-up for her son’s alleged crime but according to Police, the DPP advised that no charge be brought against her.

Meanwhile, Gonsalves Parents are trying to complete her dying wish to have her babies handed over to them. At the end of her statement against Persaud she had said “A want ma children dem, when ah go home, ah want ma children dem. Ah want ma mother to get control ova ma children dem.” Speaking with Kaieteur News on Thursday, Gonsalves Grandmother disclosed that they have already approached the Welfare Department at the Child Care and Protection Agency requesting custody, of her babies. “We have not approached her in-laws directly as yet but the Social Worker that we see, tell we that she ga schedule a meeting with both families to discuss custody of the children,” the Grandmother said.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News