Man wanted in connection with ‘Aunty Betty’ murder arrested

The 48-year-old labourer who the Police issued a wanted bulletin for in connection with the murder of Sumintra Sawh called “Aunty Betty” has been arrested despite a confession by the woman’s niece that she made up a story to implicate him and escape blame.

Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed that the man, Mohamed Ramzan called “Bhagee”, was arrested on December 3, 2022 at approximately 16:30 hrs Bushlot village, West Coast Berbice.

The News Room was informed that Ramzan has since denied being involved in the brutal murder of the old woman.

He has since given investigators an alibi, and investigators are said to be working to ascertain if the alibi is true.

On Friday last, Roshanie Basdeo, was charged and remanded to prison for the murder of Sumintra Sawh, 85. She was not required to plead to the indictable charge and is set to return to court on December14, 2022.

Sawh was found battered to death on her birthday (November 28 2022) at her Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice home.

She at the time was living alone but Basdeo stayed with her at night. Basdeo was arrested the same day Sawh’s body was found on her bed in her bedroom and Basdeo told police that two men, armed with knives entered the home and killed her great-aunt before stealing $350,000 she had stashed away in her purse. Basdeo claimed she was tied up and taken downstairs during the entire ordeal.

Just a few hours later, Basdeo gave the police another story. She then said that she was never tied up and that she was part of a plan concocted with the now-arrested Mohamed Ramzan. She told investigators that Ramzan would normally visit the home of Sawh and that the plan was to rob the woman of her money and documents to buy a scooter and take over the house.

Head of the Corporate Communications Unit of the Guyana Police Force Mark Ramotar subsequently released an image of Ramzan and stated that “Police are currently looking for the suspect…”

However, Basdeo again changed her story and instead said that she was the one that committed the act. She reportedly confessed that she used a hammer and a piece of wood to batter the woman after the woman kept accusing her of stealing her money.

She then dumped the murder weapons in the pit latrine located in the yard and also dumped a blood-stained nightgown in the latrine as well.

Police took her back to the house where the murder weapons and the nightgown were recovered.