Bandits strangle 65-year-old businesswoman

The small village of Adventure on the Essequibo Coast was plunged into shock and deep mourning after the discovery of the body of a 65-year-old female shopkeeper on Sunday night.

The body of Banumattie Singh, called Doreen, of Adventure Stelling Road , was discovered by her husband Kishore Singh at around 21:00 hours with a towel wrapped around her neck and pieces of cloth stuffed in her mouth and nose.

She appeared to have been strangled to death.

Kaieteur News understands that Singh and her husband live with their mentally challenged son and operate a grocery store in the bottom flat of their house.

They also run a hotel a few doors away.

A police press release stated that investigations so far have revealed that the victim was in the company of Kishore Singh, 70 years, when she left their Adventure Guest House business place to go to their nearby grocery store to tend to a customer.

This newspaper understands that Singh's husband told her that he would be home shortly as he was awaiting the arrival of some hotel guests.  

According to the police, Kishore Singh subsequently went across to close up the grocery store when he found the place ransacked.

The dead woman's sister-in-law told Kaieteur News that after noticing that the place was ransacked, he began calling out for his wife.

He checked their bedroom, only to find that that too was ransacked and his wife nowhere around.

He eventually ran on to the road and alerted some young men who returned with him to the house.

They continued to search the house and eventually found the shopkeeper lying on a bed in the living room area with a towel wrapped around her neck.

The dead woman's husband and the young men tried to revive her by throwing water on her, but gave up after the woman failed to respond.

An alarm was raised and the woman was rushed to the Suddie Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Throughout the ordeal, the woman's son remained asleep.

Reports stated that a man went into the grocery earlier on Sunday to make a small purchase and it was noticed that he was acting suspiciously.

Neighbours believe that whoever committed the act had secreted themselves in the house when the businesswoman was over at the hotel with her husband.

Police said that it has not yet been ascertained what articles have been stolen.

Residents of the Essequibo Coast remained in shock up to late last night at the gruesome killing.

When this newspaper visited the scene, scores of them were gathered outside the house, which was cordoned off by police, discussing the incident.

Banumattie Singh is also survived by three daughters who reside overseas.  

Investigations are continuing.

Tuesday 08-08-2006