A 72-year-old woman was allegedly beaten to death by her reputed husband, who told investigators that it was ‘kanaima’ (evil spirit in Amerindian culture) that killed his wife.
The dead woman was identified as Angelina Mora, a pensioner of Yakarinta Village, North Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Her husband, Jeffrey Edwards – a 53-year-old farmer, has since been arrested.
The incident reportedly occurred between 15:00h and 22:00h on Thursday at Yakarinta Village.
Based on police investigations, the couple had been living together for over four years.
The suspect’s niece, Almalita Marshall who lives a short distance from the couple’s home, told investigators that at around 15:00h on Thursday, she was in her yard and she saw her uncle physically assaulting his wife under a cashew tree in their yard.
According to Marshall, the commotion lasted for about two to three minutes during which she saw the elderly woman fall to the ground. She further related that her uncle continued the assault, after which he pulled the woman into their home.
Meanwhile, another resident, Nekita Benjamin who a Community Health Worker for Yakarinta Village, claimed that at about 22:00h Thursday night, she received a call from an unknown number informing her that Mora had died at her home.
Benjamin told the police that she immediately left to visit Mora’s home, where she met Edwards and questioned him regarding the information she had received. Jeffrey then told her that his reputed wife had been drinking somewhere in the village and upon her return home, she went to bed and later stopped breathing.
The health worker then checked the pensioner’s body, which was lying on a bed, for a pulse but found no signs of life. She then proceeded to examine the exposed part of Angelina’s body and saw what appeared to be marks of violence on the woman’s face, both breast and chest area which prompted her to ask the husband if they had a fight.
In response, Edwards said, “Yes we drink and had a lil fight.”
The police were summoned and arrested the suspect but he denied inflicting any injuries to his reputed wife’s body. In fact, he claimed it was ‘Kanaima’ (evil spirits) that killed her.
Meanwhile, the woman’s lifeless body was escorted to the Lethem Hospital, where a doctor official pronounced her dead. The body was then placed in the hospital’s mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.
The suspect was escorted also taken to the hospital, where he too was examined and a medical certificate was obtained. He is presently in custody at Lethem Police Station.
While at the station, detectives questioned Edwards about his wife’s death and he maintained he did not inflict those injuries on the woman’s body, saying it was ‘Kanaima’ (evil spirits). He remains in custody assisting with the investigation.
