Thirty-four-year-old Fareez Yaseem of Lot 25 Belmonte, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD) was on Monday morning stabbed at least 12 times during a confrontation with an intruder who was attempting to break into a storage bond at his home.
Reports are that the now dead father of three was awakened by a sound emanating from the lower flat of the house, and he went to enquire. As he walked down the flight of stairs, he reportedly saw the suspect trying to gain access to the bond, and a confrontation and ultimately a scuffle ensued between the two men, during which the suspect whipped out a knife and dealt Yasseem several stabs to his body.
The injured Yaseem fell into a drain and died almost immediately, while the perpetrator made good his escape, but reportedly left his pedal cycle and a slipper behind.
When Guyana Times International visited the scene, Yaseem’s house was locked and no one was at home. The gate was also locked, and a car he had recently bought was parked in the garage.
A few houses away, a relative, Jason (only name given), who lives a few villages away, was preparing to hold a wake at the home of Yaseem’s mother-in-law.
He told this newspaper that Yaseem had left his (Jason’s) business place in Mahaicony, ECD at about 17:00h on Sunday to head home after a day’s work.
However, at about 02:00h on Monday, he received a telephone call informing him that Yassen had been stabbed dead.
To confirm the news, he telephoned another relative, who without hesitation rushed to the scene, only to see Yaseem’s bloodied body lying in a small drain in the yard.
“I can’t say how much time he get stab, and I couldn’t go close to see, because the Police been at the scene carrying out their investigations…,” that distraught relative explained.
He also explained that after speaking to the late Yaseem’s wife, he was made to understand that the deceased was only trying to protect his property.
“He wake up after he heard the sound, and went downstairs without waking up he wife… When he reach downstairs he see the man, and then is when he get stab,” the relative detailed. At the time of Yaseem’s demise, he was wearing his jewellery, but all were found intact.
The relative also confirmed that a one-side slipper and a bicycle were found in front of the dead man’s yard. These items have been taken into custody by the Police as evidence as investigations continue.
Jason also told this publication that he too, resided in the village for 15 years, but made a decision to leave following an upsurge in criminal activities.
He recalled that his mother-in-law’s premises had been broken into, as well as his home. In both incidents, the bandits carted off millions in cash and jewellery.
To date, he stated, no arrest has been made although detectives had dusted the respective crime scenes for finger prints.
“I can’t raise my children in this village. Too much happening…thief here and there, and the Police doing nothing,” he stated.
He is calling on the relevant authorities to solve this recent murder, and not let it be considered another unsolved mystery.
The late Yaseem has been described as a hardworking individual who used to “hustle” to making sure his family is taken care of.
He leaves to mourn his wife, Devi, who was at home when he was killed. She reportedly hid in the upper flat of the house with her three children during the incident. After realizing that her husband was stabbed, she raised an alarm and neighbours rushed to the scene.
The man’s body was removed hours after, and taken to the Lyken’s Funeral Home to await a post mortem examination. Up to late Monday evening, no arrests were made. (Bhisham Mohamed)
