A 61-year-old man has reportedly perished in a fire during a fishing trip at a backdam in Berbice.
Abdool Basheer Rahoop, of Shieldstown, West Bank Berbice died sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
While his camping companion claimed it was an accident, family members believe foul play was involved.
The man’s wife 49-year-old Dhanram Ramkisoon says her husband went into the backdam on Saturday afternoon with her former son-in-law. The man returned on Sunday, informing them that the labourer perished in a fire.
According to the mother of ten, her husband and the suspect were imbibing prior to their departure and they took three bottles of rum with them. They were expected to return on Tuesday.
Reports are that the suspect and the man’s daughter were in a relationship but she had left him to be with someone else.
However, the two were reportedly still seeing each other.
Zaman Ali, the husband, claims that three months ago he had to go to the home of the suspect to retrieve his wife and on that occasion both her father and the suspect assaulted him.
“This is about three months ago…this girl went dey. When me go fo she, dem collect a wood and start beat me on the dam. They lash me on me foot an I fall down…”
The matter was subsequently reported to the police.
According to 27-year-old Bebi Basheer, the suspect had threatened to kill her if she did not go back with him. She is of the belief that her father paid the price.
She said she first met the suspect three years ago when he visited their home.
The suspect is in police custody. Almost three decades ago he was before the court for murder. [Andrew Carmichael]
