By Farah Bates
The police in East Berbice Corentyne are investigating an incident where a ninety eight year old woman was allegedly beaten and raped at her home sometime between Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
The elderly woman has been living alone for quite some time. However, a neighbour who lives just a few houses away from her has been taking care of her everyday.
On Tuesday morning when the woman visited she observed that there was a glass containing alcohol on the step leading towards the woman’s door. This according to the woman raised some suspicion and she quickly made her way into the house where she made the discovery.
The elderly woman said that she was unable to identify the suspect since her place does not have electricity. “Them boys come in and they beat me up. They push them hand down my throat and they choke me”.
A close friend of the victim, Brenda Hunte said that yesterday she made arrangements with the victim to take her to an event Tuesday morning, as such, she indicated to the elderly woman that she will pick her up early Tuesday morning.
Hunte, said when she arrived at the woman’s home Tuesday morning she was greeted with the tragic news.
Shortly after, the matter was reported to the police but according to Hunte, when the police arrived they just made a few checks and asked for the woman to be taken to the hospital.
“We call and they said they will send a rank. The rank did come with their guns and so and they make a few look around and they look at her and then they went away. They said to take her to the hospital and they told us that if we have anymore information to give them a call.”
However, when other neighbours and relatives arrived at the scene they made another call to the police, after which the police patrol came and began an investigation.
Hunte said before they took her to the hospital they cleaned her up since she had blood stains on her face.
“While cleaning her to take her to the hospital, I turn and tell her caretaker that something wrong here so she bring out the sheet and it was just bloody; she mouth can’t bleed till there. Her underwear was torn up and it had blood stains and there was blood on her skin.”
The victim is said to be the eldest person living in the area and she is known as a well respected individual who never troubled anyone.
Residents of the area expressed their concerns given the fact that there are many other elderly persons around the area who are now vulnerable.
“If they can do it to this old woman then they can do it all the others. The police need to be more vigilant and need to patrol more often in these fine fine streets in this community.” An examination done on the woman’s body at the Hospital has revealed that she was sexually assaulted. An investigation is ongoing.
