Ramdeen in happier times
…residents say Police should have taken the matter more seriously
A Corentyne, Berbice man turned a knife on himself after killing his wife of 15 years.
Dead are Subrina Lakhan, 29, a housewife, and her husband, Ramesh Ramdeen, 42, a labourer, at Rose Hall Estate.
The couple lived at Lot 101 Chesney New Housing Scheme, Corentyne, and had three children ages six, eight and 13.
The couple was at home alone about 13:35h when the incident occurred.
Investigations reveal that Ramdeen was an alcoholic, who had constantly threatened his wife and accused her of infidelity.
Reports reaching Guyana Times International indicate that the 15-year relationship was marred by physical and verbal abuse. According to a neighbour, she was at home when she heard the now dead woman shouting for her by name about three times. She said that she also heard Lakhan telling Ramdeen that she loved him and was not going to leave him.
This newspaper was told that the couple on Monday appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court. Following the court appearance, the mother of three went to the Police Station and requested that an officer accompany her home, saying that she was scared for her life and had decided to go live with her mother. Reports are that the woman asked for the officer to be there while she packed her belongings. This publication was told that a female officer accompanied the woman, but left while she was packing.
Guyana Times International understands that while the woman was packing, Ramdeen told the officer that everything was “okay” and she could leave.
However, as soon as the officer left, the man seized the opportunity to slit the woman’s throat. The woman’s screams caused neighbours to rush to the scene, but by the time they did, they witnessed Ramdeen pulling a knife across his own throat. The man subsequently fell and tumbled down the steps.
Lakhan was seen lying on her stomach in a bedroom in the upper flat in a pool of blood with her throat slit, next to her was a cane-cutter’s cutlass with blood stains on it. The Police were summoned, and an investigation has been launched.
Meanwhile many residents in the community have expressed their dissatisfaction with the manner in which the Police handled the matter. They say that the female officer who was at the house while the victim was packing to leave should not have taken the man’s word for granted that “everything was ok”; she should have remained until she was confident that the victim was safe. (Andrew Carmichael)
