In 2019, 50-year-old Devanand Narine was arraigned before a Magistrate charged with the murder of his wife. Following a preliminary inquiry before Magistrate Esther Sam at the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court, Narine was today committed to stand trial for the offence. It is alleged that on May 16, 2019, on the Essequibo Coast, he murdered his wife of six years, Farida Khayum, 39.
The Magistrate’s ruling now paves the way for Narine to be tried before a judge and jury at the next practicable sitting of the Essequibo Criminal Assizes. According to previous reports, on the day in question, Khayum was stabbed multiple times by her husband, who later attempted suicide by consuming a poisonous substance.
It was reported that the killing was witnessed by three of the woman’s five sons and her ailing mother. However, during the preliminary inquiry, Narine’s lawyer argued that his client came home drunk on the day in question and saw his wife in the company of a male. The lawyer contended that when his client inquired as to who was the male, he was met with resistance.
The lawyer added that his client was attacked by one of his wife’s son and the male guest. The lawyer further added that it was his client’s stepson who forced a poisonous substance down his throat.
