A 45-year-old man is hospitalised after he fatally stabbed his 25-year-old stepson before injuring himself last evening at Karasabai Village, South Pakaraimas, in Region 9.
Dead is Jonnah Pedro, a 25-year-old Labourer from Normandie, Brazil. This incident occurred at about 19:30hrs, police say.
Last Sunday, at about 19:00hrs, the suspect, Michael Francis, a resident of Rukumuta Village, along with his 53-year-old wife and 18-year-old daughter, left their home at Rukumuta Village and went to Karasabai to uplift their ‘cash grant’ which was due for distribution the following day (Monday).
Pedro, who resided in Brazil, crossed the border to Guyana on Monday to also uplift his cash grant. On his arrival at Karasabai, he met up with his mother, stepfather and stepsister at the RDC office in Karasabai where the cash grant distribution was taking place.
After uplifting their cash grant cheques, they all went to a nearby shop where they started to imbibe alcoholic beverages.
However, at about 17:00hrs yesterday, they went to the home of a relative, Quincyann Albert, a 34-year-old housewife of Karasabai, and were sitting on wooden stools in the yard, talking. During their conversation, the suspect began to talk about his brother, Moses Francis, who was allegedly murdered in Rukumuta Village just a few days ago.
The 45-year-old became very aggressive and started to curse and make threats to kill the person who killed his brother. He was then rebuked by his stepson, Pedro, who advised him to calm down.
The suspect got annoyed at being upbraided in the presence his wife, daughter and other relatives. He then allegedly pulled out a kitchen knife from his green haversack and stabbed Pedro to the head, right armpit and right shoulder. The victim ran a short distance and fell to the ground motionless.
Pedro’s mother then raised an alarm and her daughter (Pedro’s sister) who was in the house at the time, came out and duo scrambled on to the suspect in an attempt to retrieve the weapon.
However, they were overpowered by the suspect, who reportedly stabbed himself in the chest.
Both men were taken to the Karasabai District Hospital where Pedro succumbed, while his stepfather was transferred to the Lethem Regional Hospital. His condition is regarded as serious.
Investigations are ongoing.
