Bush Lot woman, 85, killed on birthday

Nov 29, 2022 News

…Niece in police custody

Kaieteur News – Bandits brutally murdered an 85-year-old woman on Monday in her Lot 131 Section ‘B’ Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice (WCB) home while escaping with approximately $350,000.

Sumintra Sawh’s home at Bush Lot, WCB

Dead is Sumintra Sawh popularly known as ‘Aunty Betty’, who would have celebrated her birthday Monday last.

Police said that Sawh’s body was found laying face up on her bed with blood stains about her body. Investigations revealed that the woman was stabled six times: once each to both sides of the temple, three to the forehead and one to the back of the head.

The woman’s 37-year-old ‘Caretaker Niece’, Roshanie Basdeo, would stay with her at nights. She is in police custody assisting police with their investigations.

According to a Police report, Basdeo also known as ‘Mala’ arrived at the deceased’s home at about 16:45h on Sunday. At about 19:00h, Basdeo said the duo retired to bed. She told Police that Sawh slept in the front bedroom while she slept in the back bedroom of the two-storey wooden and concrete house.

The woman said she was awakened by an unidentified male, who held a knife to her throat and demanded money at about 03:00h on Monday. Basdeo said the man removed her from the bedroom she was sleeping in. While outside, she said she noticed another man with Sawh in the front bedroom. The woman said she was taken to the lower flat of the house and tied to a chair with a sling. While there she said she heard Sawh yelling “Don’t kill me granddaughter”.

Dead: Sumintra Sawh

Shortly thereafter, the unidentified man who was with Sawh appeared in the lower flat and both men searched the flat before making good their escape.

After their exit, Basdeo said she untied herself and ran to the upper flat of the house and saw Sawh laying motionless on her bed in a pool of blood.

The woman told Police that Sawh’s handbag where she kept all her money, pension book and other important documents was missing from the bedroom. She estimated that Sawh had $350,000 in the bag that she was reportedly saving to build her fence.

Meanwhile, Police said that Basdeo had visible abrasions on her neck and right hand; the woman told police she was injured by one of the invaders. She was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital for treatment.

Sawh’s body is presently at the Bailey’s Funeral Parlour awaiting a post mortem examination.