Sunildat Balack, also called ‘Red Man’, was on Monday arraigned before Whim Magistrate Charlene Artiga for the alleged murder of his wife Wilwantie Balack, sometime between September 6, 2016 and March 31, 2017.
The 44-year-old Corentyne farmer allegedly killed his wife six months ago and buried her body in a 4-foot grave situated about 120 metres aback their Mibicuri North, Black Bush Polder home in East Berbice.
The skeletal remains of the 39-year-old mother of three were dug out of that shallow grave last Friday.
Balack was not required to plead to the indictable charge when it was read to him, and the court was told that this was not the first time he was appearing before a magistrate.
He had previously been charged with assaulting 21-year-old Uma-Davie Nathoo with whom he shared a relationship, and had been placed on a six-month bond to keep the peace after Nathoo had told the court that she did not wish to provide any evidence against him.
Magistrate Artiga remanded Ballack until May 2, and transferred the case to the Mibicuri Magistrate’s Court.
Family members had been on the hunt for Wilwantie Balack ever since her disappearance, but had always come up empty handed. Her 21-year-old daughter, Dharshni Davi Balack, said her father, Sunildat Balack, had given her and her siblings conflicting reports about the whereabouts of their mother, telling them that she was in the USA while telling others that she was at different parts of the country.
However, suspicions grew after the suspect had taken a 21-year-old Nathoo to live with him and the woman was seen wearing their mother’s wedding band.
A confession statement that Police secured from the suspect led them to the shallow grave of Wilwantie Balack.
