Family mourns after father of 4 murdered by neighbours who stoned his house

By Isanella Patoir

A teenager is among two persons who have been arrested for the brutal murder of their neighbour, 40-year-old Zahir Ali, a fisherman and a father of four of Mosquito Hall, Unity, Mahaica on the East Coast of Demerara.

His wife, Sunita Rampersaud told the News Room that the two young suspects dragged her husband inside the yard where they beat and stabbed him to death after he confronted them about stoning his house at about 19:20hrs Wednesday.

Regional Commander Assistant Commissioner, Royston Andries-Junor told the News Room that a teenager and an adult were arrested for the brutal murder.

However, relatives said it was two teenagers that committed the act and the adult is covering for one of the teenagers.

Police Headquarters said Ali was seen fleeing the premises drenched in blood with wounds to his left side chest and abdomen.

The wife that the suspects had actually confronted her son earlier in the day and then later started to throw stones and bottles towards their house.

“They always picking problem with we, them pickney can’t be outside, every time they outside they telling them things,” the grieving widow said.

“Me does tell them nah answer them, left them.”

Rampersaud said she saw when her husband confronted the suspects and then she heard him screaming that he was stabbed.

“By the time we run go and my daughter shine the phone light, we see [a lot] of blood and we hold him to walk and he fall down right there,” Rampersaud said.

“A DRUG YARD”

The two suspects are known to torment the residents in the area; neighbours accuse them of selling illegal drugs and blasting music throughout the day.

One neighbour, Donna Scotland told the News Room that numerous complaints were made to the Police about what she called the “drug yard” but no action was taken.

“Them is pusher [drugs] and they get some boys picking trouble with people, pelting their house when they sleeping, playing music all night and I am the person who does always call the Mahaica Police Station and sometimes they does say they don’t have police patrol to come,” Scotland said.

Meanwhile, Ali’s niece, Radika Ali described him as a very hardworking person.

“He’s a very quiet person, he don’t have problem with nobody but he make this house and he was trying to complete it and since then he always get problem with these people,” the niece said.

The family is angry at what took place and is calling for justice to be served.