Should bottles of alcohol carry a warning label?

Dec 31, 2018 News

– drunk and disorderly murders top list of homicides in Guyana

“Drinking alcohol in access can cause uncontrollable bouts of rage, that result in murder…”
Printing such a warning on a bottle of alcohol may sound like a far-fetched notion, but it’s certainly not as silly as the motives behind the spate of murders this year that were committed by persons under the influence.
Men like to boast that they can hold their liquor, but the alleged killers and victims have practically all been men.
Let’s look at some of the cases.
One night in early February, Nair Khan, a 30-year-old porter, was drinking with a friend and the friend’s wife at Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo when the friend allegedly accused Khan of having an affair with his wife.
An argument ensued, during which the ‘friend’ allegedly stabbed Khan. The wounded man fled the scene, but collapsed and died in a nearby yard.
The alleged killer, Orwin Accra, also fled the scene, but later surrendered at the Leonara Police Station accompanied by his mother. He was later charged.
MURDER OVER FOOD
In early July, at Lot 37 Bella Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, a man was consuming liquor with a friend when he gave his brother, Nazir Khan, called ‘Kari, money, with the request that Khan buy him a meal.
When the unemployed Khan failed to return, the brother and the friend who he was drinking with allegedly went to find him.
They reportedly eventually located Khan, who told them that he had eaten the food.
The brother and friend reportedly inflicted a severe beating on Khan, who fled to a nearby yard where he collapsed and died.
A postmortem revealed that the victim was punched, kicked and choked. He suffered brain haemorrhage due to blunt trauma to the head, compounded by compression injuries to the neck.
The 57-year-old brother was subsequently charged.
On April 15, Adrian Sousa Santos, a Brazilian, was drinking with one Brian Reid and others at Quartz Stone, “Far Far” Backdam, Cuyuni, when the Brazilian man began to make advances to a Venezuelan woman who is the girlfriend of the accused.

Mahendra Sooknanan

Murdered: Desmond Sewdath

An argument then broke out between the two men, Reid allegedly chopped Santos twice on the right arm.
Santos died shortly after, while others who were present apprehended Reid and handed him over to the police.
Santos was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Reid was later charged.
By July 2018, there were at least 45 disorderly murders. Fisherman Elroy Marks, of Aruka River, North West District and also of Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast, was one of the victims.
Marks was imbibing with a 43-year-old labourer at Kumaka Water Front, North West District when an argument ensued. This escalated into a fight in which the suspect allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed Marks to the neck.
The fisherman was rushed to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital, in an unconscious state where he succumbed.
The alleged killer, of Hotoquai Village, North West District, was detained and charged.
Drunken taunts about a man’s wife can end in murder. That happened last October, when a disc jockey allegedly killed Mahendra Sooknanan.

Dead: Leonard “Lenny” Peters

Murdered: ‘Terrible Dog’

Sooknanan, a 21-year-old back maker of Lot 36 Number 69 Village, Upper Corentyne, Berbice, was drinking with a friend when Sooknanan allegedly made derogatory remarks about the friend’s wife.
This led to the friend allegedly stabbing Sooknanan several times. The victim’s body was found along a dirt dam some 800 meters away from the scene.
The accused, identified as 19-year-old Irvin Somai, called ‘Bobo’, was detained and later charged.
In late October, Vernon Cummings, a 51-year-old labourer and another man were drinking at Timehri Docks, East Bank Demerara, when an argument broke out between the two men.
The friend, Phillip Solomon, allegedly armed with a length of metal pipe, and Cummings allegedly holding a paddle, reportedly attacked each other.
The fight reportedly ended with Vernon Cummings being bludgeoned. Soloman was later charged.
The pattern of ‘murder while drinking’ continued in November, with a 16-yr-old school dropout allegedly killing another 30-year-old Desmond Sewdath, called “Bull,” at Auchlyne, Corentyne, Berbice.
The killing occurred at a shop at which the alleged killer and victim were drinking.

Dead: Sherwin Melville

Reports are that the teen and Sewdath, who both work as garbage collectors, were intoxicated when an argument ensued.
The teen, who had a knife, allegedly stabbed Sewdath in the chest, killing him instantly. He fled the scene, but his mother later turned him in to the police.
Disorderly murders climbed in December. One of the first victims was 23-year-old Sherwin Melville, a father of one, of Capoey Mission, Essequibo Coast. Melville was allegedly drinking with another man when an argument broke out. Hours later, the youth was found with his throat slashed.
Also on December 21, footballer Leonard “Lenny” Peters, of Lot 29 West Watooka, Wismar, Linden was imbibing at a shop when he allegedly spilled alcohol on another man.
The man was in the company of his brother and one of the men retrieved a knife from his home and stabbed Peters to the chest.
Peters succumbed at the Linden Hospital Complex (LHC), while the alleged killer, Michael Emmanuel, was later charged.
And at Moruca, North West District, 25-year-old miner Rondee Peters was also stabbed to death during a drinking spree.
Peters was allegedly having a drink with five of his associates and an argument broke out. Peters was later found stabbed to death at a ball-field.
‘TERRIBLE DOG’ AND THE SAUSAGES
Rum and a love for sausages appeared to have led to the murder of gold miner known as “Terrible Dog”. He was allegedly stabbed in the region of his stomach by a Brazilian chef, who goes by the alias “Suseh God”.
The men were at a mining camp at Chinese Creek Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven.
Investigations revealed that the victim and the chef were involved in a heated argument over the frying of sausages.
It is alleged that the Brazilian, who is the cook, became annoyed and fatally stabbed “Terrible Dog” to the chest before escaping.