A close confidant and neighbour of 48-year-old Malini Wahid, who was strangled to death by her reputed husband before he took his own life on Friday night, recalls the abusive relationship the couple shared over the years, saying that the man was very controlling.
“He always keep knocking she; talking to she hard, and then he always don’t want she go nowhere by she self. He always want he and she go market, and she don’t want that. She always want to go walked and so by she self; she just want to be free,” the neighbour, who witnessed the gruesome act, related.
Wahid was strangled to death Friday night at around 20:30h by her reputed husband, 50-year-old taxi driver and clothes vendor, Balram Heeralall called ‘Nappy’, at their Martyr’s Ville New Scheme, Mon Repos, East Coast of Demerara, home. The couple shared two children, who are overseas.
Heeralall, after strangling the woman, attempted to take his life but was found and rushed to the hospital, where he later succumbed.
According to the neighbour, the couple has had several incidents over the past years, which mostly led to court matters. In fact, they are currently before the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court for a domestic violence matter, whereby “Nappy” assaulted and threatened Wahid.
They had a court hearing earlier on Friday and the neighbour believes that Heeralall felt pressured and scared.
“Every time them get this problem and them start to go the court, he never goes to the counselling, but [Friday] was their court day and the magistrate pressure he like… Like he get more frightened that something that might happen like,” the woman related.
She added that she had even encouraged Wahid to go back to her parents’ residence to stay after the abused woman expressed fear for her life.
“After he get frightened now, she told me what happened and I told her be careful and she said yes. I said “Nal if you not comfortable I think you should back by your mother place and stay, and be more safe”.”
“But she said when she deh in she own house she more comfortable than being by she parents place,” the neighbour stated.
According to police reports, after the couple had returned from court Heeralall left the home and went to sell clothes. He later called Wahid and told her that he was involved in an accident on the Triumph Public Road and asked her to come see him, which she refused.
The man then arrived home at 20:15 hours and started to complain about having a chest pain, and requested that she accompany him to the hospital in his car.
At the time, the neighbour was at the couple’s home and encouraged Wahid not to get in the car with Heeralall, having found his behaviour suspicious.
The couple then got into an argument after Wahid insisted that they take a taxi to the hospital. The neighbour subsequently went home after being told to leave by the now-dead man.
The woman recounted that shortly after returning home, she heard screams of “help” from Wahid and had to jump the couple’s gate, which was locked, to get into the yard. There, she witness through the glass door Heeralall abusing his reputed wife.
The neighbour kept pleading with the man to open the door but he did not heed her request. She recalled helplessly watching Wahid being strangled to death at the hands of Heeralall, who was telling her to die.
Police, in their report, said when ranks arrived at the scene, they observed no marks of violence to Nalini’s most exposed parts but a reddish substance was seen in her mouth.
Heeralall, who was lying next to her, was seen frothing from his mouth. The paramedics of the Melanie Fire Station were summoned and transported the man to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC), where he died shortly after.
The body of Nalini was also escorted to the said hospital and was pronounced dead on arrival and further escorted to the Jerrick’s Funeral Home.
