Murder of Aunty Betty: Neighbour confesses, says niece promised him payment to execute the murder
As the plot to murder Bushlot, West Coast Berbice pensioner Sumintra Sawh, called Aunty Betty, continues to unravel, the accomplice who was arrested over the weekend has now admitted to his role, saying he was paid to kill the woman so the niece she lived with could get her house.
On Monday night, Mohammed Ramzan Shaheed called “Bhagee” confessed to delivering the first set of blows to the woman and then went back to his house, drank rum until he slept and then got up and fled the area.
The News Room understands that Shaheed told investigators that some two Wednesdays ago he met up with Roshanie Basdeo, called Mala, the niece who is on remand for the woman’s murder. He met her at Bushlot and she informed him that she was being put out of the house. She had been caring for the woman but later accused of stealing the woman’s money.
Shaheed revealed that Basdeo told him that she wanted to live in Sawh’s house but “she have to get rid of Aunty Betty first.” He said he agreed to “do the work” and asked for payment. She told him that he will be paid and he instructed her to leave the door open (bottom flat).
It was on Sunday, Shaheed said he took a couple shots of rum on his verandah next door to Aunty Betty and when the clock struck midnight, he ventured over to her house. There, he picked up a piece of wood that was in the yard and went upstairs where he saw Basdeo in her bedroom. He said he told her to check on the old woman to make sure she was sleeping and when she did, he made his move.
Shaheed clubbed the 85-year-old pensioner to her head several times in her sleep and she began groaning in pain. He said he left the room and threw the weapon in the hallway of the house and asked Basdeo for the money she promised him; he claimed that Basdeo said she did not have the money as yet but will get it.
The man said he left the house and returned home where he continued to drink until he fell asleep. At approximately 04:00 hrs, he said he heard Basdeo shouting “theif man deh around hay” and he saw light coming from the house.
Shaheed told investigators he became scared but had a bath, shaved, secured his house, grabbed his bicycle and rode down the road. According to him, he is unaware of what took place after he left.
As he made his way down the street, he said he left his bicycle at a woman’s house in Bushlot – someone he knew – and caught public transportation to head to his cousin’s house at Belvedere. He slept the night there and then went to another relatives house in the same village and spent a night there as well.
Until Wednesday November 30 2022, he travelled to Bath Settlement and went to a friend’s house where they imbibed, slept there and returned to Bushlot on Saturday November 3 2022 and met with two residents known to him who informed him that he was wanted for the murder of Aunty Betty.
Police acting on information, ventured to the area and arrested Shaheed. A confrontation between Basdeo and Shaheed is expected to be done this morning. Advice will subsequently be sought for further action.
