| By Rabindra RooplallRelatives of a 40 year-old woman, whose semi-nude body was found in a Zeelugt, East Bank EssequiboAfroze Ali, called Aunty ‘Lizzy’Cemetery, do not want the case to die a natural death on the desk of investigators of the Police Force.They are seeking justice and the arrest of the perpetrator/s based on the leads that police investigators have at their disposal.On January 15,Supply Cheapest Air Max, 2012 the partly nude body of 40-year-old Afroze Ali, called Aunty ‘Lizzy’, was found in a Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo Cemetery. Post mortem examination revealed that she died as a result of asphyxiation due to manual strangulation compounded with blunt trauma to the head.In addition, samples were taken from the woman’s vaginal area for further testing, since it is believed she was also raped. The 40-year-old woman was the fifth of nine siblings and a mother of four.At the scene of the murder, it was discovered that the killer or killers began digging a shallow grave near where the body was found but for some reason apparently abandoned that planRecollecting the ordeal, the brother of the deceased, Mohamed Rasool who is businessman inTrinidad told this publication that after the ordeal and the burial of his sister, he made some enquires about the suspects who were in police custody and was told by the police that they are still investigating the matter. These suspects were eventually released.Reports reveal that one of the suspects called “Sunny” was held in police custody along with a second man identified as Anthony Albert, 57, both of whom are known drug addicts.Rasool said that he visited Guyana the day after his sister’s demise to attend the funeral. “I made some enquires about the suspects who were in police custody and was told by the police that they are still investigating the matter. I am very suspicious of this investigation so I went to the Ministry of Home Affairs and I informed them about the investigation“.They then told me that the police will do their job.”Rasool said that he was later informed that the suspects were released.To add to the depressing news, Rasool said that he returned to Guyana on January 20, to attend his mother’s funeral. On this occasion he checked with police officers on February 3, at the Leonora Police Station where he spoke to a “Mr. Paul who is in charge of CID. I asked him what is the current status of the investigation and he told me that there is no new information concerning my sister’s murder so they will not be able to do no further investigation.”Afroze Ali’s body was covered with a piece of cardboard where it was found at the Zeelugt Cemetery.He continued: “I told him that I went to the scene where my sister was murdered and found a piece of iron and I asked him, why did the police not pick up the iron for evidence. He then said to me that Guyana doesn’t have fingerprint expert.“I then asked him what is the current status on the swab test result and he said to me that they didn’t get any result as yet.”On the same day he also visited Eve Leary to speak to the Crime Chief, Rasool said he was told that the Crime Chief was not in office and he was asked to speak with ‘Inspector Halley’ where he indicated the lack of fingerprint specialist.She then called ‘Mr. Paul to enquire and he denied he told me that.’“She took some information from me and said she will pass it on to the Crime Chief. She then said to me that Mr. Paul told her that the commander of Leonora station wanted me to meet him. I then left and returned to Leonora station where I was told that the Commander was not in office. I was ordered to speak to the second in command, a Mr. Watts. I made a report to him about Sonny (suspect) and he told me he would re-arrest him. On Saturday February 4, Sonny was arrested and taken into Leonora station by a Rural Constable.“When Sonny arrived an officer said to release him. When I enquired why they released him they said to me that Sonny is a ‘mad man’.”Nexus between murder and rape allegations of another relativeTo further add to the depressing news, Rasool said that on Saturday February 4, he received information that his 12-year-old relative was raped by her brother-in-law who was a part of the Tuschen, Community Policing Group (CPG).Reports reveal that the 12-year-old girl told police that she had sexual intercourse with her brother-in-law on four occasions. Something the man’s wife adamantly refutes.It was further disclosed that the act occurred earlier in the year. However, the former Tuschen CPG member who was arrested was placed on bail.According to Rasool, he questioned his young relative about the allegations pertaining to sexual abuse “and she confessed to it. I then took her to the Leonora station and Mr. Williams took a statement from her and went to arrest (name given).“On February 5, the police and another relative took the young girl to a Gynecologist who said that she was sexually assaulted. Up to February 10, the accused was not charged. It is alleged that the same CPG member had beaten my sister some time before she was killed and had also threatened to kill her.”He continued: “It is also alleged that he (GPG member) did not sleep at his home the night my sister was murdered and his wife knows he didn’t sleep at home. It is also alleged that his wife knows about the relations he was having with the minor!“When I got the information I went and questioned his wife about this allegation. I asked her where her husband was the night my sister was murdered and she said he was home. I asked her if she knew her husband had beaten my sister and she said no. I asked her if her husband told her that he saw Sonny walking with my sister and she said no.”Rasool further said that it appears as if the law enforcement officials are ‘dragging their feet’ on the cases because ‘somebody know somebody’.“My question is how could the DPP take so long to charge a man when they have all the evidence for such a serious crime? I intend to take this case to the US embassy in Guyana, the European Union and CARICOM.I was a businessman who intended to open a milk factory in Guyana. I visited the country to start setting up my business, however since I have now realized that there is no justice and lawlessness I have changed my mind especially after I have seen that children can get sexually assaulted with no justice; it is total madness.” Rasool emphatically said. |
