Boat captain charged with murder of father-in-law

A 36-year-old boat captain was on Thursday charged with the murder of his 67-year-old father-in-law, after allegedly steering his boat into him.

George Vansluytman appeared before the Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and was not required to plea to the charge which alleged that on July 28 at Canal Bank, Port Kaituma he murdered his father-in-law, Dennis Welcome.

Vansluytman was unrepresented and was remanded to prison. The matter was transferred to the Mathews Ridge Court for November 6.

Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield told the court that on the day in question about 03:00 hrs, Vansluytman came home under the influence of alcohol and threatened to kill his wife and then placed a spoon to her neck.

The woman’s father heard his daughter screaming and crossed the river with his boat, rescued and remained with her until the break of day.

Police initially stated that at about 06:30hrs the next day, the father-in-law was returning home in his boat when the suspect entered a boat powered by an outboard engine and in “a fit of rage”, crashed into Williams’ vessel, causing him to fall overboard.

Welcome’ lifeless body, which bore injuries to the head, was later recovered.